The World in Ruins
by SailorMoonPie
Summary: District Twelve. Where everyone is starving and poor. The Hunger Games made life a living hell. Join Artemis Cross through her journey from losing a friend to the Games, try to escape, and making an unlikely ally.
1. Not Him

"Come along girls." A high pitch voice rang out from a small wooden house that doubled as a handyman's shoppe. The voice belonged to a small, middle aged woman named Serena, with freckles splayed across her tan face. She was a mother of three teenaged girls which made her heart ache.

Being a mother of three may sound like a blessing for some people but, for the people in District Twelve it was asking for a death wish. The District was poor and starving, Serena and her husband had to fight where they were at now, which still isn't relatively good but, it's better than the Seam where she used to live.

The Hunger Games were an eerie and dark time for the District. Most families would close up their shops and spend time with everyone, fearing their children would be randomly selected for death, fearing that this time would be the last time to spend with them. Each family had a different approach on how they took in Reaping Day.

Serena's was being frantically scurrying around the house looking for loose objects to collect and shove in her pockets. It seemed as though it was almost tradition for her to do this. Objects for good luck so her own children or nieces or nephews wouldn't have to go into the hunger games.

There was the creaking of wooden steps as the first to reach the living area was the eldest daughter, Artemis. Her thick brows perked up in question as she stared at her mother running around like a chicken with its head cut off. She always hated when she got finicky like this. Artemis huffed out a sigh and crossed her arms. "Why are you shoving all those things in your pockets. That's way more than usual." She noted as she watched her mother pick up a tiny pebble from the floor.

Serena gazed at her in a panicked dazed and then started to collect more things. Worry wort. "It's Reaping Day. You never know what could happen." She walked over fixed a piece of Artemis's bangs and sweeping a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "I don't want any of you to go in it."

Artemis rolled her eyes. She hadn't been reaped in the seven years she was eligible for it, no matter how many times she put her name in the bowl for tesserae. She didn't fear that she'd be picked this year, or ever for that matter. She had been too consumed with watching her fretting mother she hadn't noticed her siblings enter the room.

She fixated her gaze towards her younger sister Katherine who was still fixing up her face for the reaping. She smeared a vibrant red across her thick lips and then puckered them. Artemis couldn't help but roll her eyes.

They had asked her many times why she had felt the need to get glorified for Reaping Day. Her answer was always the same, "If I get picked I have to be tv ready." She wasn't the brightest star in the sky but, she was pretty enough to be one. By far the more popular one out of the three.

Artemis plopped down on the worn out couch and sighed. It didn't take long for Serena to pass by her and quickly ran her skilled and delicate fingers through her hair again, picking out any imperfections and making it look better. Artemis swatted her hand away. "Mom." She warned in an annoyed tone. Serena shuffled backwards and went back to collecting items.

She focused her gaze towards Naga now, who was on the other end of the couch looking off into space in deep thought. Naga was strategizing what she would do if her name was called, just like every year. Her plan would then go to waste when her name wasn't called. She pushed the glasses she wore up further on the bridge of her nose to adjust them as she sat up straight coming back to reality.

She looked over at her older sister with a weird look on her face. "What?" She asked quizzically and defensive. Artemis gave a small shrug and shook her head before looking the opposite way as Naga crossed her arms and legs and scoffed.

Artemis snorted from her point of view. Her gaze went from her worrisome mother scouring the kitchen for something to hold onto besides her fathers hand. Then to Katherine who was now just patting her hair down and plucking at her face. Finally to Naga who was now writing down something on a scrap piece of paper she had found.

A will of some sort, if she ever were to get picked. From what Artemis could remember she did this her first Reaping. She took note that she would get her glasses and some of her clothes.

Artemis went back to looking straight forward and crossed her arms. Her family was famous for worrying for nothing. No one had been picked from her family since her cousin. She had been eight at the time and her cousin was thirteen. She remembered watching her die in the Bloodbath. She shivered at the thought of someone coming up and slitting her throat. Maybe there was a small part of her that did worry but, never showed.

She perked her attention to her father as he walked out of the bedroom in a light blue shirt and tattered khaki's. He gazed around the room watching everyone practice being reaped, or writing their will, or running around for no apparent reason.

His eyes locked on to Artemis's. He gave a concerned look, which she replied with a shrug. He smiled then shook his head. Artemis and her father got along famously. She was always the one that would venture off into the neighborhood with, assisting him with his handyman work from time to time.

Torq clapped his large hands and got the attention of everyone in this room. "We have thirty minutes until the Reaping and you guys aren't done? We have to be there or we'll get punished." He scolded them. Artemis straightened out the loose ends of her lace white dress and listened to him lecture.

That was the only downside of her father, he liked to hear himself talk. He sat across from her, while she awkwardly adjusted her dress. "Dad," She inquired earring an exhausted look from him. "May I go see Beau and Peeta. I'd like to wish them luck." She nervously bit down on her lip.

She knew this time was meant for family farewells and good lucks but, she could not stay in the house for another moment. Torq perked up a brow while he tied his brown dress shoes. Her stomach clenched at the thought of rejection that she anticipated. She was almost certain he'd let out a disgruntled sigh and say no. "You have fifteen minutes." He granted, stomping his foot down on the ground trying to adjust his foot. This surprised Artemis, her eyebrows flew up in shock. She blinked a couple times while gazing at her father who returned the surprises gazed and motioned for her to head towards the door.

Without hesitation, Artemis grabbed on to the blue sweater she wore on top of the dress and quickly exited the house. She never answered her mothers questions about where she was headed. Something she was used to doing. Perhaps she should stop.

She shrugged off the thought as she took a step outside of the house and sucked in a deep breath of air. It reeked of coal. Not the best smell in the world, but not the worst. She made her way towards next door, Davet's Butcher Shop. The dirt crunching around her feet gave her a false sense of security, like it was just another day and not Reaping Day. She continued to listen to the pebbles giving way beneath her step instead of the hysteric sobs some parents were sharing with their children.

Artemis looked across the way at the blue shop of the Mellark's Bakery. She saw very small movement from inside and debated whether it was just a stray customer or if it were one of the members of the Mellark family. Peeta and Beau were her only two friends. Figures they've all been neighbors since they were young.

No one else at school dared to talk to Artemis, ever since she got into a fight with Alixandra Elliston. She rolled her eyes just thinking about the name. Alix would strut around the schoolyard thinking she owned it since her father is Mayor Undersee's advisor.

She had enough of Alix's cruel treatment towards her and the other girls in class and how they couldn't afford the luxury of electricity twenty four hours a day. So Artemis punched her. In the face. It was riveting. She would give anything to see Miss Elliston get put in the games. Watch her world crumble down. She had expressed this multiple times to Peeta and Beau who had both ruled her as a sadist after saying that.

She paced up the wooden steps to the butchers shop before rapping on the door with a balled up fist. Her stomach growled as she sniffed the air around the shop. Nothing was better than the savory smells of Davet's spiced chicken.

A few moments passed before a boy with curly brown hair and hazel eyes opened the door with a small smile. Beau's dimples when he smiled were his most prominent feature. "Don't you look dapper." Artemis commented as she took one of the brown suspender straps and snapped his chest with it.

Beau yelped in shock at the stingy sensation, rubbing his chest where it had snapped. "You're wearing a dress. If I didn't know any better I would've mistaken you for a lady." Beau recoiled with a teasing wink. Artemis hummed.

"Touché." She replied with an edge in her voice. Beau made a quick "Oh," before unwrapping a small piece of chicken from a cloth he had behind his back. "My father gave this to me to share with you and Bakers Dozen." Beau exclaimed as Artemis tore a piece off and plopped it in her mouth. She relished in its juicy flavors as they exploded over her tastebuds. If there was a heaven she was sure it was filled with Davet's spiced chicken.

"Speaking of Peeta, where is he? I only have a certain amount of time before I have to go back to "family bonding"." Artemis stated with a sarcastic edge and her mouth full, looking across the street at the bakery. Beau quietly shrugged his shoulders. "You know how his mom can get." He recalled in a hushed tone.

Mrs. Mellark was not the nicest person, in fact she was far from it. Artemis ranked her slightly above Alix on the cruelty scale. She would often fight with whoever was in the bakery with her at the time. Their screaming matches could be heard throughout the neighborhood. It ached Artemis's heart when Peeta would greet Beau and herself with a fresh new bruise or cut somewhere on him. She had once pleaded with her father to talk to Mrs. Mellark about hitting her sons but, Torq had ruled it out. It wasn't his place.

"Do you have any doubts?" Beau questioned her, breaking her thought and drawing her attention back to him. She hadn't realized she was staring at the Mellark Bakery. "Doubts of?" She clarified as she took another string of chicken and chewed it. Beau raised his brows before looking off into the distance at the blue sky which had appeared to become clustered with a grey overcast. Perfect for Reaping Day. He made a small sigh.

Artemis picked up on what he wanted to say about the Reaping and placed a small hand upon his shoulder in reassurance. "It's not going to happen. To any of us." She stated in a confident tone, slightly puffing up her chest as to make herself feel more self assured. Beau gazed down at her with timid eyes before shaking his head. "But we'll know someone who will-"

"And thank goodness they were never close to us." Artemis interrupted, her brows starting to furrow in frustration. All these "what ifs". "Seriously, you're going to make yourself sick if you have a pessimistic outlook on life all the time, Beau." She concluded, earning a snort from him.

He placed one hand in his pocket before sticking out the piece of chicken out more towards Artemis. "You're one to talk." Beau smirked. The comment made her roll her eyes. "I'm not a pessimist. I'm just realistic."

"You're not a pessimist, you're a sadist." Beau corrected. Artemis hummed to herself. Wasn't the first time this happened. "Not a sadist." She mumbled out while stuffing another piece of chicken in her mouth. Beau smirked once again at her quip. "Do you really wish that Alix would go in the games?" He questioned as he crumpled up the napkin that held the chicken in his hand.

Artemis chewed the last piece, placing her hands on her hips as she thought about the question. She slowly nodded, only causing Beau to chuckle. "Only because she's evil personified." She quickly tried to justify herself in between chews, accidentally spitting a little chicken out. Beau laughed maliciously at her mess up. She hurriedly wiped her mouth before groaning. She really needed to stop talking with her mouth full.

Her father's voice calling her over to their house caught both of the teenagers attention. Torq was leaning out of the door frame, motioning for his daughter to come inside. Beau gave a friendly wave over to Torq who returned it. Artemis held up one finger towards her father before turning back around to her friend.

"I guess Peeta's a no show." Beau noted solemnly, gazing over towards the bakery. Artemis quickly glanced over to there as well before returning her attention towards Beau. "I guess so." She whispered out. She was hoping that his mother was going easy on the boys.

It was Reaping Day. Even should be at least a tiny bit, anxious. "We'll catch him on our way there. Tell your sisters I said good luck." He bid as Artemis slowly started walking backwards towards her home. "Yours too." She added as she waved goodbye to him. She turned on her heel and headed towards her home. It was going to be utter chaos.

As she neared the front door she could hear Katherine's short whines of protest and her father's deep voice dripping with displeasure. Artemis sucked in a deep breath before she entered, bracing herself for the dispute between her father and her siblings. "Why not? You let Artemis." Katherine stated as she pointed her finger towards her older sister who had just finished shutting the door behind her.

Katherine made an aggravated grunt. "I'm sick of you guys giving her special treatment!" She shouted at her father who had crossed his arms at the accusation. "Special treatment? Katherine, Vera lives further away from here. I'm not letting you wander around town before the Reaping before we leave. Beau lives next door, that's why I allowed it." Torq defended himself. Katherine let out another frustrated huff before trying to explain her case even further.

Serena had come up to Artemis, taking her nimble fingers and running them through her daughters hair once again. "I really wish you'd wear your hair up, honey." Serena pleaded, swiping the hair away from Artemis's face to see what she'd look like with it up. Artemis pursed her lips into a tight smile. "I can do that." She obliged. She took her chocolate colored hair in her hands, flipping her head downwards and tightly knotting her hair together in a tight bun before standing up straight again.

She jutted her arms out from her side a bit to present herself. "Better?" She asked, earning a smile from her mother. "Much." Serena answered, even though she stepped forward and played with Artemis's front bangs. "You've grown so much. I'm glad this is your last Reaping." Serena confided taking a step back and admiring what she had done to her daughters bangs. Even the worry wort could calm down a bit before anything truly happened. Artemis smiled and thanked her mother.

A whistle blew in the distance indicating that all the valid possible players must gather in the town circle in front of the justice building. It made her jump a bit before returning her eyes to her mother sorrowful face. Serena rushed towards Torq and gripped his hand tight. "We love you all." She said before kissing each one of her daughters on the head before they exited the house. Torq was sure to them all one last hug outside before he dismissed them to go on ahead and enter towards the justice building.

The walk to town was bound to be not that long. Naga and Katherine went off and found their friends. Leaving Artemis to lag behind and wait for Beau and Peeta. She made slow and awkward steps towards the justice building, waiting for her two friends to exit their homes.

She picked at her nails, which seemed to be a bad nervous habit she picked up on. The thoughts of being reaped growing ever present in her mind. Even though she was almost confident that she wouldn't be picked, and had no reason to worry there was still that ever looming presence of the "what if" everyone had been talking about today.

The creaking of the bakery door caught her attention and she whipped her head to her right to see all three of the Mellark brothers headed towards the justice building. "Peeta." Artemis called out, catching the blonde haired boy's attention.

He gave a small smile along with a wave before he stepped off the porch towards her. The way that his lips were pursed told Artemis that something was wrong. However, she looked over his shoulder to see his parents, specifically his mother, boring her eyes into hers. She knew Artemis wasn't a fan of her. She had expressed that many times. "My, my don't you look handsome today." Artemis teased as Peeta approached her, an embarrassed smile perching itself on his lips.

"You look nice today too. Like a lady for once." Peeta retorted with a snort. Artemis rolled her eyes at the blue eyed boy. "That's what I said," Beau's voice agreed from behind her. "But don't let the womanish looks deceive you, she's still Artemis." Peeta couldn't help but laugh at the true statement while Artemis glowered up at Beau. "You're killing me." Artemis stated before grabbing on to his suspenders again and snapping it against his chest. Once again Beau rubbed the sore spot where it had struck him while frowning.

Artemis started her shuffle towards the center of town like everyone else along with her two friends. She looked around to see older members of the community lining the sides of the streets, watching as the youth walked towards the Reaping center. Artemis gulped at the fact that two of them were walking towards what could be their deaths. "So, Mellark, where were you earlier? We were having a little chitchat before the Reaping." She started, hoping that she would get an explanation as to why he seemed more solemn than usual.

She stared as his eyes danced from the sky to the ground, trying to avoid her gaze. "Oh, I just had to do a couple of things in the bakery before we left." He looked at her with a blank look in his eyes. She furrowed her brows. He was lying. "I'm sorry." He whispered out to his pair of friends.

Artemis sucked in a breath before attempting to open her mouth to call him out, but a firm hand on her wrist caught her attention. It was Beau's. He gazed down at her with a concerned look. She sighed and frustratedly looked away from him. She knew that he was telling her it was best to leave it alone for now. "Well, we missed you buddy." Beau chimed up, glancing over at the cold expression Peeta was wearing.

He grasped his shoulder in reassurance, squeezing it firmly with a small smile and holding it until Peeta returned it. It was only for a moment though before Peeta returned his gaze towards the ground. This has to be the worst treatment his mother had given him.

Although there were no visible marks, Artemis knew that she could hurt with words. Peeta had some times broken down to her and Beau about it. She had called him worthless, useless, a waste of space. Even though Beau and Artemis had tried to reassure him that it wasn't true and that he had meant a lot to them the words had already sunk in to him. It was really hard to get him out of a depressed mood when he was in one.

Artemis latched on to his hand, catching Peeta off guard, giving it a gentle squeeze. "You got this." She whispered to him before letting his hand go. Peeta smiled for a half second, nodding his head and acknowledging her words. The crowd had dissipated into a fork. Girls on the left, boys on the right.

Artemis sighed. "Well, boys, this is my stop." She stated while looking at her two friends. "Good luck." She sighed out, looking towards the ground. Reaping day was starting to hit her hard. "Good luck to you too, Artie." Peeta responded, latching both arms around her. After the hug Beau did the same. Before he leaned up Artemis whispered, "Keep an eye on him." Beau pursed his lips, gazing into her green eyes with a slight sense of confidence and nodding his head.

With that Artemis turned and walked towards the cluster of girls from their early teens to their late teens. The line seemed to go on for ages. She had to work her confidence up as she neared the front. The sight of Peacekeepers with guns put her on edge.

The thing that put her over the edge was the sound of a beep and a click. She peered in front of her to see what the sound was, all though she knew too well what it was. It was the pricker. The needle would prick a finger and the Peacekeeper behind the table would smudge the bloodied finger on to a sheet of paper.

She hated this part.

It was enough to make her stomach churn even worse than it already was. She had built up a false confidence until it was her turn. The Peacekeeper gave her no time to prep herself for the prick. He yanked her hand towards him, pulled the trigger on the needle and let it cut her finger. She jumped a bit at the sudden pinch in her finger tip.

She quickly wiped off what blood was left on her finger after the encounter with her blue sweater. Artemis came to an abrupt halt as she has absentmindedly followed the girl in front of her to the spot she had to stand in.

The sun had started to shine out a bit, lighting up the justice building as if it were some place holy and not some place where someone would be selected for death. However, the sun did have its own way of creating a false sense of security. Alluring Artemis into a slightly cheerful thought that she wouldn't get picked.

Not a nice day like this.

Artemis peered around looking for familiar faces. She had to stand on her tip toes, she cursed being short unlike her sisters who seemed to inherit their father's long legs. The first face she spotted was her sister Katherine making small talk with the girl next to her. Of course she'd make a friend on Reaping Day.

She caught sight of Naga, who was also idly standing, waiting for Reaping Day to start. She always looked like she was strategizing something. Artemis leaned back down on her toes, relaxing. This whole time she had been selfish and thought about it she were to go into the games and not her siblings or her friends.

She mentally slapped herself for not thinking about them. However, it did make things worse. Instead of only hoping for herself to not go in she had to think about four more people that were dear to her going into the games. She didn't want any of that.

Then she heard a shrill laugh come from up front. Standing on her tip toes once again she looked for the source of the laughter, although she already knew who it was begrudgingly. Artemis rolled her eyes when she caught sight of a small blonde haired girl in a pink dress in the front. Surly she was laughing at the girls who couldn't dress properly for the event. It was hard when you were dirt poor.

Alixandra Elliston. The root base of all evil besides Mrs. Mellark and President Snow. Although her father was Mayor Undersee's advisor it did not grant her the option to stay out of the games, like Mayor Undersee's daughter. Alix was the only person Artemis hoped to go in the games.

As she came back down off her tip toes the Capitol anthem started to play. It sent chills down Artemis's back as it had meant that the Reaping was going to start. A woman from the Capitol wearing nothing but pink appeared on the stage. Her lips painted in the shape of a heart, she had waved a welcoming gesture to all the children who were gathered in the town center.

Of course someone from the Capitol would think today would be a fun day. Effie Trinket, the District escort for many years now, took her place in the center of the stage with a large grin on her face. She almost didn't look human. "Welcome, welcome!" Her perky voice echoed through the microphone. "To the Reaping of the 74th annual Hunger Games." She clapped her hands together, trying to spread cheer throughout the crowd.

Nothing but, unamused faces of all ages looked at the prim and exotic looking woman from the Capitol. Her face seemed to go sour for a moment before turning back to her mic. She introduced Mayor Undersee who merely waved, his daughter and wife looking sorrow from behind him. Then to the only Victor District Twelve had to offer; Haymitch Abernathy. The drunk hooted and hollered until he stumbled off the stage causing an upset reaction from Effie.

Artemis could tell from a mile away that Effie didn't want to be here but, was forced to stay cheery and happy in order to please her Capitol. The District escort smiled as perky as she could as she watched a couple of Peacekeepers drag Haymitch away from the stage. Of course he'd make a fool of himself on live TV. "Now, before we begin, we have a very special film brought to you all the way from the Capitol." She blissed with a smile while turning her chin up to the large screen on the Justice building. The Capitol's anthem played once again as President Snow's snarly voice began to ring out.

"War. Terrible war." Artemis tried her best not to roll her eyes, but he gave the same speech every year about the uprising. How it left a large death toll, and how he subtly destroyed District Thirteen with only one command. It was scary. He had enough power to convince millions to fight with him, to comply with his needs of blood sacrifice. But it had become old, rather boring, to Artemis. She didn't want the speech to end. After the speech she knew what time it was.

As soon as the Capitol's symbol crossed the screen again her guts seemed to tense up. It was time. She could hear Effie's breath become excited as she approached the center of the stage once again. "So exciting," She whispered. "Now the time has come to select one brace man and woman for the honor of representing the lovely District Twelve in the seventy fourth annual Hunger Games." Did she say that District Twelve was lovely? Maybe the stench of the coal was starting to get to her. "As per usual, ladies first." Her voice was almost slow and coy as she made her was over towards the large glass bowl.

Artemis had put her name in there so many times. Too many. Her stomach swirled and churned around. She felt light headed as she watched Effie bury her hand in the bowl and pluck out a name. Artemis had been so confident she wouldn't be picked, yet here she was anticipating it. She closed her eyes, balled her fists, and clenched her jaw waiting for Effie to call her name. Effie's Capitol accent called out, it was almost fuzzy to Artemis, yet she relaxed for she knew it wasn't her name.

It wasn't called. Her clammy hands loosened as she out a lengthy breath of relief. Then who did they call? "Primrose Everdeen?" Effie called out again. The name sounded familiar but, Artemis couldn't put a face to the name. Then she appeared in the middle of the aisle. She had to have been no older than twelve, inched her way out to the center of the pathway. Pale as the winter snow, her feet slowly stepped forward. Artemis shut her eyes and tried to avoid the fire roaring inside her. She ruled this as unfair and unjust but, what could she do? Volunteer and propel herself into instant death? She'd rather die in her District than in an arena.

Then there was another voice. "I volunteer!" A small group of gasps echoed in the line. Up ahead two rows she saw a dark haired girl pushing her way towards the aisle. "I volunteer as tribute!" She called again. Artemis instantly recognized her to be a girl a grade below me named Katniss. Her father occasionally buys some rabbit meat from her, but it was rare.

Artemis had little to no connections to this brave girl, who had volunteered for someone. It never happened in twelve. This was truly a rare occurrence. Possibly the only. The little girl, Primrose, fought against her as Katniss walked up. Artemis could see the red in her face as betrayal and hurt. This act of kindness made Artemis's heart swell with sadness. She watched as a boy from her grade hoisted Primrose up and carried her into the crowd. The screams of protest from her caused agony in everyone's face from what Artemis could see. She directed her attention back towards Katniss who had now taken center stage. "What's your name my dear?" Effie questioned with a grin on her face. Katniss had appeared to have gone pale, all the hope drained from her eyes. She already looked like she was dead. "Katniss Everdeen." She spoke with a shaky breath. "I bet my bottom dollar that was your sister." Effie beamed. Artemis scoffed at the Capitol native, this was nothing to be proud of.

This was a death sentence. She felt pity as she could still heard Katniss's sisters screams of sadness, it made her stomach churn a certain way. Yet it made her wonder if her siblings do the same? Probably not. One was conceded, and the other was too intelligent to do anything stupid. She did a quick look around as soon as she saw movement. Everyone was doing it. The three finger salute. The last farewell. Artemis quickly placed her three fingers to her lips and shot them up into the air like the rest of the crowd.

Katniss seemed to soak it in heavily, her mouth becoming a little ajar. What she did was stupid, yet brave, it needed to be acknowledged. "Let's get to the boys now, shall we?" Effie urged a certain tone of uneasiness in her voice. Artemis relaxed, none of my siblings were boys. It was the only thing she was thankful for on reaping day.

She watched as Effie uncurled the piece of paper and cleared her throat. "Peeta Mellark." She sang out. This made Artemis's brows involuntarily scrunch up in disbelief. Peeta? Artemis involuntarily gasped. No. He was one of her only friends. "Peeta..." She whispered out sadly.

Thinking of watching him in the arena was enough to make her stomach flip as she watched him walk hesitantly up to the stage. Artemis frantically looked around the boy's side trying to find Beau. She knew he'd be devastated. When she couldn't find him from she was standing.

Then Peeta appeared. Mouth agape like Katniss's, wide eyed, in the middle of the stretch to the Justice building. Artemis feverishly waited for his brothers to volunteer for him, just like Katniss had. It never came. She half expected Beau to volunteer for him but, sadly that never came as well.

Artemis could understand why Beau couldn't risk anything, he was his father's only help at the butcher's shoppe. His sister Carina could only help so much, she was only twelve as well. But as for Peeta's older brothers, Isaiah and Bern, they had no reason not to volunteer.

Artemis would consider it for her siblings, Katniss did it for her sister, why wouldn't they help their brother? However, this mindset wasn't uncommon if a sibling had been Reaped. She was sure other former Tributes had siblings who didn't volunteer. Katniss's current display was a rare occurrence in an outlaying District. Sure District One, Two, and Four had plenty of people clamoring to give their District pride and volunteering but, they also had special schools built to train kids to enter the Games. Nothing like that was here in Twelve.

The closest thing Artemis could do in order to defend herself in a predicament like going into an arena would be with an axe. That was only because her father needed help cutting wood, she didn't do it for fun. She did believe she could do some fair damage with it though. She knew Katniss was good at hunting since her father bought her game every so often. But Peeta? What was he to do in a situation like this? He didn't have a single bad bone in his body.

"Go on, shake hands." Effie instructed the two. Artemis watched as Peeta's hand gripped Katniss's tightly, his knuckles almost turning white from his grip. He was scared. In shock. "Happy Hunger Games!" Effie boasted out towards the crowd. "And may the odds be ever in your favor."


	2. Not a Murderer

_What had just happened?_

Artemis and Beau quickly jogged down the marbled floor of the justice building, passing by a number of well designed statues on display on little tables. They approached two dark wooden doors in the center of the building with several Peacekeepers on the sides of the door.

Artemis tuck a stray piece of hair that had fallen from her bun behind her ear as she tried to steady her breathing. She motioned for Beau to let the Peacekeeper know why they were there. With a questioning brow towards his friend Beau spoke up. "Hello, our names are Beau Hammond and Artemis Cross. We're close friends with Peeta Mellark, the Tribute."

The two guards turned and looked at each other before grabbing Beau's hand and pricking it with a needle and smearing his bloodied thumb print on a sheet of paper. Artemis's adrenaline was already pumping, she held out her thumb and let the Peacekeeper do the same to her. This time there was no jump when it pricked her. She just wanted to see her best friend.

As soon as they released them, Artemis grabbed on to the bronze door handle and flew the door open, leaving Beau to close it behind him. She barely heard the guard say "Four minutes."

Peeta's expression was shocked yet numb as he gazed up at his two friends. He had been leaning up against the back of the red velvet couch, staring at the forest scenery. He was certain it was the last he would see of it.

Artemis had never been so scared to let anyone go into the arena before. She couldn't help but suck in a stifled deep breath before letting a couple tears run down her face. "Hey guys." Peeta greeted with a hoarse voice.

Artemis couldn't make out whether the hoarseness came from him crying or if the fear had gotten to him. She couldn't hold it back. Her face felt like it erupted into a frown, her breath started staggering and more tears had become visible as they streaked her cheeks. She crossed the room, sat beside him, and wrapped her arms around his neck and sobbed on to his shoulder.

"I'm sorry. I'm so, so, sorry." She repeated herself over and over again as he began to run her back in reassurance. He gazed over her shoulder and up towards Beau who seemed to be looming over the pair. "Has anyone else been to see you?" He questioned the Tribute.

Peeta gazed away from Beau's eyes to look outside momentarily as he shook his head solemnly. It was a lie and of course Beau could see through it. "What did she do?" He hissed out.

Artemis wiped her eyes and scooted away from Peeta to see his expression as he told them what had happened. "She said maybe District Twelve would have a winner. Not me." He mumbled out.

Artemis could feel a fire start inside her, though they had not mentioned it directly his family had come to visit him before them and his mother was being as cruel as always. "One day she's gonna-" Artemis started with a heated tone but was interrupted with a knock on the door.

"One minute." Was all the peacekeeper stated from outside. Peeta quickly stood up facing his two friends. "Please don't do anything stupid while I'm gone." He addressed this more towards Artemis rather than Beau. He knew that if anything had happened to him in the Games she'd go after his mother.

"I'm a taunter, not a murderer." She snapped at him before she tightly pursed her lips. She shuffled her feet slightly on the wooden floor. "Wrong time to say that." She whispered. It drew what seemed to be a light smile on Peeta's lips for a moment but it quickly disappeared. "Stay safe. Fight if you need to." Beau instructed his friend as he shook his hand and pulled him into a one armed hug.

"I think, I'll miss you guys the most." Peeta said, his voice cracking a bit as the door creaked open revealing two Peacekeepers waiting to escort Artemis and Beau out of the building.

"Be careful!" Artemis blurted out, tears starting to sting her eyes as she latched her arms around his neck one last time. It was short lived as a Peacekeeper reminded her it was time to go, forcefully grabbing her by her upper arm a dragging her out.

Her feet skidded along the wooden floor in protest. She didn't like being touched. "Ouch." She hissed out as the peacekeeper let go of her arm abruptly. Artemis numbly rubbed the throbbing sensation in her arm as she looked up at Beau with a distraught look.

He gave her a worried look back, pursing his lips. It was more than clear that they were both upset that their friend was going into the games. A strong chance that he won't make it out.

"Move, Cross." A high pitched voice instructed the upset girl.

Artemis rolled her eyes, knowing that voice anywhere. She begrudgingly turned around and looked at Alix with a glare. "What're you doing here?" Artemis grumbled, wiping away whatever was wet on face away.

Alix made a triumphant sigh before smiling. "I'm here to see the tributes." She responded in a snarky tone while staring Artemis down. This caused Artemis to shake her head in dismay. "Do you always do this?" She wondered, an icy edge creeping its way into her voice.

Alix nodded her head, crossing her arms in irritation. "Mhm. So, you know, move it dirt breath." Alix pushed her way past Artemis with a forceful nudge causing Artemis's anger to tear its way through her body. She turned to go after Alix but, was immediately stopped by a peacekeeper enforcing that she needed to go.

She didn't want to go. All Alix was going to do was taunt them. She was never their friend. Alix believed she was always to good for them. A warm hand snaked its way around hers. Artemis glanced up at Beau with a frown. "Let's go." He whispered.

Artemis took a moment to look back at the door where Peeta was behind. Peacekeepers keeping an eye on her, moved towards the door. She looked back at Beau and nodded as she began slowly walking towards the front of the justice building.

This was the last place where she was going I see Peeta. And she hated it.

Beau rubbed Artemis's back as they neared their homes. The grey overcast of the afternoon had become a purple sky littered with dark clouds. Artemis couldn't get over how the day was going about. She had made everything seem okay, convincing herself that nothing bad was going to happen today.

Then disaster struck. What ate at her core was what Mrs. Mellark had told Peeta. She was also dying to know what Alix's conversation with him was. She couldn't rely on Peeta to tell her anymore.

After a day of silence, Artemis spoke up. "I just can't believe she'd say that to him." She spat out as a stray tear found it's way down her cheek. "He's her son." Beau made an audible hushing sound as he tried to calm her down.

They both glanced over at the bakery where there friend used to be. Only one light of the shop was lit. It felt almost eerie looking over into the bakery and knowing that their life long friend was not living inside it's confined walls. "Was." Beau spoke in a low and grave tone as he placed his hand on her shoulder once again.

 _Was?_

Artemis shoved his hand off of her shoulder brashly. She stared at him with a hurt filled eyes, her thick brows furrowing. She was tired of hearing that Peeta wasn't going to make it home. What brought her even more pain was the fact that Beau was his best friend and he was putting the odds against him. _"Is."_ Artemis growled out, earning an exasperated sigh from the Butchers son.

She was not going to give up on Peeta like everyone else. He had just as strong of a chance at winning as Katniss did. Peeta was known for his pacifist ways however, she didn't doubt that if he was backed in a corner he wouldn't fight. Beau numbly nodded his head in agreement. He'd rather not start a fight with her at the moment.

"Is." He bit the inside of his cheek after the word slipped out. He ran a hand down the back of his neck in a nervous and anxious reaction. Today had been a long day. "I'm," Beau started, snapping Artemis's attention towards him again. "I'm going to head in. I think my dad will want to speak with me." Artemis got the hint. He was depressed too, he just wasn't holding out for Peeta like she was. Her outburst had upset him somehow. She slowly nodded her head.

"Mine too." She said in a low tone, glancing over in the direction of her home. She could make out a silhouette of a person watching her through the window she just didn't know who it was. Artemis turned around to bid her friend goodbye but, he was already walking away from her in a solemn fashion. She still waved at him behind his back.

As she walked through the front door she was assaulted with a hug from her mother, her father following not to far from behind. Serena cooed at her while stroking her hair, assuring her that everything was going to be okay.

Artemis was numb at this point. She had already had Beau dawdled with enough reassurance to last her for the rest of her lifetime. She didn't want to feel like she was in pain by anyone. She didn't want to be perceived as a wounded animal but, so far everyone today has.

Artemis couldn't help but catch a glimpse of her sisters carefully watching her every move. They were smart enough to know when Artemis was going to crack, they kept their distance.

A loud ringing of an alarm caught their attention in their living room. It was their telescreen, beckoning them to watch the events of Reaping Day. Artemis was going to be forced to watch Peeta get selected again. Something she had been dreading since she had left him in that room. "Come along." Torq instructed, ushering her towards the screen where the Capitol's emblem was proudly being displayed with trumpeting music.

She sighed, sitting down in the center, watching the Capitol's seal vanish revealing a man with blue colored hair and blue lips named Caesar Flickerman, the host of the Hunger Games. Along side him was a much more stout man with a baby face, his co-host Claudius Templesmith.

Artemis couldn't help but roll her eyes as they fawned over the districts tributes. Of course the hushed heavily on Districts one, two, and four. Those three Districts were privileged enough to get special schools that taught children how to fend for themselves in the Games, they encouraged them to volunteer, making the games just as glorified to the District like it was in the Capitol.

What did Twelve and the other Districts get? Nothing. That's why they have only a handful of Victors who don't hail from Districts one, two, and four. Artemis couldn't help but, narrow her eyes at the male career from District One. He looked off, like his mind wasn't fully there.

One by one they watched the Districts choose their tributes. Most of them were crying. It was enough to get Katherine emotional, especially when they picked out a young girl from District Eleven. She almost looked too young to even be in the games. She was so small, and frail next to her District counterpart.

"That poor baby." Serena stated in a hushed voice before clasping her hands around her mouth uncomfortably. Baby. That's exactly what that girl was. A child being thrown to her death.

Artemis watched as Caesar clasped onto his heart with excitement as he announced the next and final clip. It was from District Twelve. "We saved the best for last!" He quipped with a stoic laugh. Not like he had a chance to save Twelve for last.

Artemis eyes seemed to glaze over as she watched everything happen again. This time she got to witness every single detail. She angrily swatted Katherine's hand away from the screen as she tried to point out where she was on it. "I volunteer! I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute!" Katniss' voice rang out.

Artemis squeezed her eyes shut as she listened to the screams made by Katniss's little sister Primrose as she was carried away. She hated reliving that moment, she was really going to hate reliving Peeta's. Thankfully Caesar paused it after Katniss walked up to the stage.

"Wow. You really can't ignore this. You really can't." He started to drone, Claudius absentmindedly agreeing with Caesar. "A volunteer from an outlying District? Well that's unheard of. Such courage, such passion in one girl. What a heroic turn of events we have this year. I know who I'm rooting for." Claudius dryly chuckled as the clip began to play again.

Artemis's head went directly into her hands. She heard Effie's shrill voice announce she was going to choose a boy's name. Then the unmistaken sound of Peeta's name being uttered out in Effie Capitol accented voice.

She watched as Peeta's face drained of color and hope, his eyes almost bursting out of his head in surprise, mouth agape. Tears began to flow to her eyes. You could see how scared he was. He doesn't deserve this.

The Peeta that was being broadcast on television throughout the nation was not the Peeta she knew. Peeta was never that timid nor shy but, here he looked like fish out of water. Unable to keep his hands from visibly shaking. Artemis couldn't bare to watch her friend like this.

She buried her head into her hands, trying to force back the tears that kept threatening to make an appearance. After the telescreen was turned off there was an uncomfortable silence throughout the room as the family watched the eldest daughter cry into her hands.

Torq looked towards Serena with worried eyes. He eyeballed from her to Artemis with an implication that she should try to speak with her. Serena was hesitant at first. Almost wanting to resist since the outburst may be irrational.

Slowly she crept an arm around her daughters shoulders. "Sweetie. Do you want to talk?" Serena calming stroked her daughters hair, hoping to relax her.

Artemis sniffled for a moment before lifting her head and looking at her mother with irritated green eyes. "N-no thank you, I'd like to go to bed now." Artemis excused herself, making no time for a hasty get away towards her room.

As she shut the door behind her, she leaned against it, her head leaning back against it. She wondered what Peeta was up to now or at least what he was thinking of. She wondered if he'd be in the Capitol training or if he was still sleeping on the train. All of her thoughts ran to Peeta.

She heard the thumping of feet get closer to her door followed by a small knock on the door. She didn't dare move. "Artemis?" Naga's voice was muffled from the other side. Artemis didn't answer.

After a moment went by Naga spoke up again. "You know, Peeta's really stocky. He's well built. And he's got people skills to charm sponsors. He still has a chance." Another moment of silence passed before her muffled voice came through once again. "I'm here if you want to talk. Good night, Artie." As the footsteps of her sister grew more distant, Artemis let her words sink in.

With a strained sigh she hoisted herself to her feet, closing the distance towards the window. As she looked out into the night sky she saw thousands of twinkling stars. It was calming to her. She looked across the way to the bakery, Peeta's old home. She smiled as she looked at the window that was Peeta's room.

 _He still has a chance._


	3. Chances Don't Mean Anything

Artemis woke up to streams of sunlight beaming across her face. She pitifully sighed as she put an arm over her eyes. Was it morning already? It had been almost eight days since the Reaping occurred, and her best friend, Peeta, had been forcefully taken away.

Things weren't exactly the same without him. Her talks with Beau were more stressed than usual, walking through town seemed lonely, she even caught herself absentmindedly strolling over to the bakery from time to time.

The events on television weren't exactly always exciting, the first week they had been training for the games. Doing interviews. Those were basically to get anyone in the Capitol to give him an advantage in the arena.

He had confessed his undying love to Katniss on live television which made Artemis laugh a bit. She had always remembered him calling her cute but, never telling them he had an unclaimed love for her.

They gave the tributes their scores for the arena. Peeta rightfully earned a score of eight. She was in total shambles as the games started. She didn't want to watch them in fear that Peeta was going to get killed in the bloodbath. Surprisingly he didn't. He ran away. That was smart. Yesterday was the second day of the games. He had joined a group from District One and Two. Peeta was still alive. But, for how much longer?

Her stomach gurgled angrily.

Artemis built up enough energy to push herself out of bed and walk down stairs to her parents. She strolled into the kitchen to find her mother spreading her homemade ham on top of a piece of bread. The bread must have just been delivered from the Mellark's since the loaf looked New as opposed to the one they had been eating. Peeta's father had to have dropped it off. Out of pity or because her father requested an order she didn't know. She didn't want to ask just in case.

"Good morning, sweetheart." Serena chirped greeting her daughter with a smile. Usually Artemis would fake one back, but she hadn't had the energy to do so since Reaping Day. Instead she just placed an elbow on the table and looked at the outside world through the kitchen window.

Serena threw a concerned look at Torq. They noticed how depressed she had been for the past few days. They just didn't know how to approach it. Torq shrugged towards Serena, crossing his was over to his daughter, and numbly rubbed Artemis's back in comfort as he handed her a piece of bread. "You know you can talk to us." He urged as he walked over to the counter to pour hot water in his cup.

Artemis sighed as she chewed on the piece of bread looking as if she were going to talk. Then, came a long exasperated sigh from across the room. Artemis rolled her eyes.

Katherine's constant whining was in full play this morning as she woke up to find out that breakfast was once again just a piece of bread. She scrunched up her nose in disgust at the offering. "Can't we barter?" She whined. She picked up the piece with two fingers like it was diseased.

Torq rolled his eyes from the counter where he was stirring a mix of herbs as tea in the hot water. "Katherine, we've tried, it's just no one wants to buy or trade us right now for our wood carvings or fire logs. It's the middle of summer." Torq explained to her once again. It had been the third time this week he's had to explain himself.

The family had hit hard times since the games started about a week ago. No Katniss means no meat for the Hammond's and no meat for the Hammond's means no meat for the Cross's. "Well how'd we make a living last summer?" She questioned.

Torq let out a lengthy sigh as he pinched the bridge of his nose. Serena placed her hands on his arm to calm him down, then gave a meek look towards Katherine. She was always the more considerate and patient one. "Davet would give us special prices for his meat because of how much he'd barter for illegal game. Now that the person he used to buy from is gone, his prices have risen, we haven't been able to afford it. He's barely had enough food for Beau and Carina..." Serena explained to Katherine with a sympathetic look.

Katniss being Davet's illegal game partner, of course his prices launched up when he was barely getting enough game.

Katherine broke off a piece of the crust off of the bread and shoved it in her mouth. She looked to be deep in thought as she slowly savored the grain. "Well can't we go forge or something?" Katherine suggested, placing her hands in her lap as she sat at the dining room table. Naga, who had joined the quietly at the table, deemed this idea worthy enough to look up at her twin from her book. She placed both elbows on the table while staring at Katherine, searching for sincerity.

It was always hard to tell if Katherine was actually having an intelligent thought or not.

Artemis snorted a little in a scoffing manner, earning a displeased growl from Torq as she leaned against the kitchen sink. "There's a meadow by the school. You can forge there if there's anything there." Torq complied, crossing his arms.

A certain smell wafted through the open kitchen window, making her stomach gurgle. It was the Hammond's shop, it smelt prominently of chicken. Artemis instantly rubbed her stomach at the thought of chicken, they hadn't been able to eat a full meal in four days, just bread and butter. Katherine was sure to go insane easily, she was already getting on everyone's nerves.

"I highly doubt anything will be in the meadow. That's the place where everyone forges during lunch." Naga stated before nuzzling her face back in her book. Katherine's determined face turned into dismay at her twins words. The realization hit her a little too hard. She wasn't ready to starve completely.

Serena noticed this and took her daughters long, dark hair in between her hands, weaving intricate patterns with it to relax her. "It was a good thought." Serena whispered. She slowly raked her fingers at the roots of Katherine's hair.

Torq leaned next to Artemis, cocking his eyebrow up at his eldest child. He eyed her and then Katherine. Artemis got where this was going, she shook her head back and forth. "No." She stated in a deadly voice. "She's you're sister."

"It's a waste of time."

"You'd be doing a good thing."

"I don't _do_ good things."

Torq glared at Artemis. She was stubborn, she took after him in that aspect. Artemis read her father's eyes very carefully, they were challenging her. They almost said, "Watch me". "Katherine, that's a good idea. Your sisters will accompany you to the meadow." Torq instructed, his eyes never leaving Artemis's.

She groaned and rolled her eyes, crossing her arms as she watched Katherine's expression change. Naga was also disheartened by the news. It didn't seem probable to find anything down there so why were they sending them away?

As they finished gathering up some clothes to hold any berries in, and headed out the door, Torq held his arm out in front of Artemis to stop her. "Make sure they're safe. Don't wander off to far. And if you get into any trouble, whatsoever, take this." He handed her a small pocket knife with a polished wooden handle.

She rubbed her thumb along the handle with a questioning brow. "It's to protect yourself, if you get into any trouble and you feel the need to defend yourself. Don't use it on your sisters. And don't come back until the afternoon is almost over. I'm trying to make a deal with the Hammond's and I don't need you guys to ruin it." Artemis stared at her father for a moment, questioning why he was going to talk to the Hammond's. They weren't going to lower their prices. Finally she nodded once and followed behind her sisters out the door.

She had finally caught up to them while Katherine was in the middle of a conversation. "Well, I heard that Daxton was trying to kiss Vera by the steps of the school." She gossiped to Naga who merely let out a small chuckle. "Vera wouldn't kiss Daxton. She knows that's Alix's property." Artemis rolled her eyes. Schoolyard drama.

"Do you think Katniss has a chance of winning the games, Artemis?" Katherine asked her, catching Artemis by surprise. Wrong question to ask. Artemis had to think about how Katniss was a skilled hunter, shooting nearly all of the Mellark's squirrels in the eye. She felt bad that she knew Katniss was surly going to beat Peeta. "Eh, I don't know, maybe. But the last time anyone from Twelve won was almost twenty five years ago."

Haymitch Abernathy. The town drunkard. The only victor of Twelve. "Besides don't you feel a little bad talking about Katniss winning? I mean, she's great and all but, we're closer to the Mellark's than the Everdeen's. Why aren't you rooting for him?" She asked her siblings. Katherine almost scoffed at her idea.

"Katniss is way smarter than Peeta." Katherine snickered a tiny bit. "She is right," Naga spoke up. "Peeta may be built stockier and he may be able to hold his own but, he won't last on his power alone." Artemis began to get flustered with the idea of her friend not coming back from the games. It was every year a person she knew would go and die, it had virtually no effect on her. This year it was different. Peeta was her friend. She wanted him to come back. Her small friend group wouldn't be the same without him. "Are we even talking about the same Peeta? He's compassionate and kind-"

"And that'll get him killed in the arena." Naga interrupted. "It's a miracle he's lasted this long." Artemis pursed her mouth shut. She didn't want to say anything that would get her or her sisters in trouble.

They had finally reached the schoolyard by the time the conversation had ended. Thank goodness.

Artemis plopped down, crossing her legs like a pretzel and began picking up plants, inspecting them for any signs of berries. Berry picking bored her, there was nothing here. She wove tiny white flowers together, making them into a small crown before placing them on her head.

She stared at her sisters, Naga had begun reading in the shade of a tree, Katherine was still busy trying to forge. Artemis looked up towards the cloudless sky, lying down on her back. She slung her right arm over her eyes and slowly drifted off into a nap.

The relaxation of the nap didn't last long. Katherine stomped over to Artemis, nudging her sister with her foot. "Are you done napping? I found a few berries, no thanks to you two." She explained as she slung the small, white sack over her shoulder. Artemis noticed how small her bag was still. "How many?" She yawned.

Katherine pursed her lips together. "Seven." She muttered out disheartened. Her older sister raised up onto her elbows while squinting at her. "That's not even a handful. And you checked everywhere?"

"I checked this whole yard. Someone recently must've forged."

"Let's just cut our losses and go home." Naga said, closing her book. "It was better off that way anyways."

Artemis looked towards the outer perimeter of the schoolyard, nothing but dirt and fence. The fence. The woods beyond the fence. There would be food out there, no one dared to go out there. She fumbled with the small knife within her pocket. She could score a squirrel with it. Maybe.

"What about out there?" She asked Katherine, gesturing with her chin towards the fence. Katherine raised her brows up in surprise. "What? Are you asking me to commit suicide?"

Artemis pushed herself off the ground, her eyes not leaving the sight of the woods. "No, I'm asking you to survive."

Katherine rolled her eyes. "Survive? That thing is electrified twenty-four seven and even if it wasn't do you know how many things could kill us in there?" She stated with a sigh. "It's not electrified twenty-four seven. If you actually listened to some kids in school you'd know that it's usually turned off so we can have electricity at night." Naga stated. "Do you know when the power is off?" Artemis questioned her younger sister. Naga shook her head in denial. "I never asked. I didn't think about it until now."

Artemis looked back towards the fence. It was dangerous but, worth a shot. "I guess we'll just have to find out." She said in a snide voice, pacing towards the fence.

"Artemis, you better not." Katherine hastily scolded her sister. Artemis rolled her eyes. "Oh yeah? And what are you gonna do if I did it?" She challenged, arching her brow in the process. Katherine placed a hand on her hip before throwing a scowl her way. "I'll tell dad!" She promptly stated. Her blue eyes remained on her older sibling who had started to shove a small pocket knife in her pocket.

"Tell dad." She mumbled out. Naga, who had had enough of the constant, stood up from the green meadow gazing at her older sister. "Artemis, perhaps Katherine is right. You shouldn't go out there. It's dangerous." Naga plead to her, earning an respectful gaze from Artemis.

Artemis huffed out a sigh before rubbing the back of her neck. "I understand that it's dangerous out there but, it's also dangerous here. I can't just stand idly by and watch our family starve." Artemis stared up at the sun in the sky, not a cloud in sight. It was early in the afternoon by the looks of it.

Her head snapped back to the twins who had been waiting for more of a response. "Naga, if anything happens to me promise me you won't go to Darius's place. He's a crooked man who won't give you the money." Naga sunk in the words that Artemis had said before pushing up her glasses on the bridge of her nose and nodding once.

Katherine let out a frustrated groan. She knew that once Naga had given in to Artemis's plan there was no going back.

Artemis turned to head towards the fence, her heartbeat racing. She was going into the woods with just a pocket knife. Something in her wanted to say she was crazy - no wait that was just Katherine screaming it from a distance.

Finally, she reached the large fence that was supposed to be throbbing with electricity. How was she going to know that it wasn't electrified? She looked towards the palm of her right hand, beginning to sweat with anticipation. Too dangerous. There must be something else.

To the side of her there were several rocks buried within the dirt. She took an oval shaped one in her hand, running her fingers along the side of it. If it bounced off it was electrified, she wouldn't go in. If it didn't, the woods would have to find another way to kill her.

She quickly threw the rock at it, anticipating that it would bounce off. It didn't. It merely fell to the ground after hitting it. "That doesn't prove anything." Katherine shouted towards her. "I guess that means the power's off, now doesn't it?" Artemis argued back. She turned towards the fence once again, this time extending her hand. Nervously, and tremendously shaking Artemis outstretched her arm, aiming for the fence.

Katherine quickly turned around, covering her ears anxiously. "I can't watch." She whispered to her twin who was intent on watching.

Artemis knew at any point she could turn back. But she'd be turning back to a life of starvation. If she fled to the woods to hunt like Katniss then she wouldn't have to depend on someone catching illegal game for the Davet's to eat. She slowly counted through her shaky breaths. "One...Two..." Artemis quickly shoved her hand towards the fence shouting, "Three!" expecting the worse.

Instead of flying backwards, surly burnt to a crisp, Artemis stood there, perfectly intact. She peered over her shoulder to see Naga gripping at her chest in relief, Katherine was still turned around and was embracing for the moment that she turned around to see a toasted Artemis.

"I'll be back by sundown." She shouted towards Naga, who gave her the thumbs up before she ducked through the gap in the fence.

Artemis had never seen a place like the woods before. It was so open. No people, no end to it. The only sounds coming from inside it was the sounds of chirping birds and the wind between the trees. It was almost as if she had found peace.

She pulled out the small pocket knife that her father had given her before she had left. He said that it was in case there was any trouble in town but, she never knew of anyone being of any conflict in town besides the occasional rowdy drunk in the Hobb.

Usually that rowdy drunk was Haymitch and he's away in the Capitol. Perhaps he had known this was what she was going to do. He was preparing her.

What was she to do with this though? Throw it at a squirrel? She was too inexperienced to do the kind of hunting that Katniss seemed to be doing in the games.

The games. Peeta.

A sudden pang of loneliness hit her as she thought of the last time she had spoken to him. His words rang in her head. _"Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone."_ Artemis snorted as she remembered one of his last words. If only he saw her now.

She wished that there was a way she could afford to give him a parachute to let him know that at least she hoped he'd survive. No one else seemed to be rooting for him. Peeta is smart and can be resourceful. Just not as resourceful as Katniss, who had lived in the Seam her whole life. Surviving was second nature to her. It wasn't second nature to Peeta, his second nature was kindness.

It most certainly wasn't Artemis's second nature either, she had been wandering in the woods for almost an hour and all she could do was think about how much she'd appreciate her friendship with Peeta a little more if he made it through the games.

"Don't." A voice rang out, startling Artemis and making her jump. She placed a hand over her heart as she tried to calm down. The only clear thought running through her head to coax herself wasn't very clear. If it was a peacekeeper she was dead, but if it was another civilian they were dead.

She held her hands up by her sides, and dropped the knife, biting her bottom lip. "I don't want any trouble." She blurted out, as she slowly turned around. Her eyes fell upon a strange, yet somehow familiar man who had a bow in his hand and a quiver on his back.

She recognized him to be the boy who carried Katniss's sister away from the stage during the reaping. He had a very anxious yet, bored look to his grey eyes as they studied her. "Give me your hand." He instructed as he carefully walked over to her, looking at the ground to mind his footing.

Artemis perked a brow up in question as she stared at his extended hand. "Why?" Her tone was unamused as she glared at the boy who feverishly waved his extended hand out to her.

"You're in the middle of a trap. Let me help you out before you get hurt."

Artemis didn't budge, she continued to stare at him judging whether he was being honest or not.

"Listen, I'm not usually this nice but, I'm willing to help you. Take my hand or get hurt or worse." He exasperated. Artemis huffed out a sigh before grabbing his calloused hand and following his every step for about three feet. As he released her hand she gruffly rubbed it off against her jacket, before watching him pick up a large stick.

"If that was just some cheap tactic to hold my hand-" The boy threw the stick a few inches from where he had stopped her, it landed on a wire which launched it straight up into the air and let it dangle there.

Artemis stared at the large snare with her mouth slightly ajar. It wasn't that impressive, a basic snare just built for animals like deer or wild dogs, but if she had stepped on it she would've been stuck, with everything falling out of her pockets.

"Thanks, I guess." She mumbled.

The boy stared at her for a moment then placed his hand on his hips. "What're you doing out here? Don't you know it's dangerous?" He asked. She eyed him up and down. Surveying him. "I don't believe I should be explaining myself to a perfect stranger." She said defensively.

That was a lie. She had a brief memory of him at school. They were in the same grade. The cock of his brow that he held in disbelief showed that he knew she was lying and that he knew of her too.

Artemis sighed. "Will you stop staring at me if I tell you?"

He huffed out an exasperated sigh and calmly nodded his head. "Well, Katniss got reaped and Davet lost most of his meat so his prices have skyrocketed. My family's been starving so, here I am." She peered over towards the snare boy who had a frown perched upon his face.

"Don't you hate that? Your family starving?" He wondered, trying to relate to her. "Yeah. I mean I guess. This is one of the first times. My sister has never complained more in her life. Got on my nerves. Had to do something." Artemis scoffed, the boy slightly smiled. "The name's Gale." He said, sticking out his hand for her again. "I know, Artemis Cross." She shook his hand. "I know." He repeated.

An awkward moment of staring at each other passed by before Gale cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck. Artemis blushed with embarrassment. "Great, well now that that's settled." She shoved her hands in her pockets and started to descend down the small, steep, rocky hill behind her.

Gale slightly shook his head as he watched her stumble across the rocks. He started laying out his options.

One: He could sit here and watch her stumble and possibly fall and injure herself or worse. It could provide entertainment.

Two: He knew of her harassing personality towards some of the kids at school. He could do something mean to scare her. By why would he do that? He has no quarrel with her.

Three: He could actually help her. She was aimlessly walking around the woods near the end of the afternoon. Once it gets dusk she could be in potential danger with the wild animals out here.

"Where are you going?" He inquired, as he sat down on a rock near the edge of the hill watching her continue down. Artemis let out a low annoyed growl and rolled her eyes before peering up at the hunter. "Wherever my gut takes me." She replied, jumping over a rock and making herself become unbalanced. She caught herself against another rock before pushing herself upwards again.

She heard a low, distinct chuckle come from above her. "Got something to say?" She growled. "You're heading deeper into the forest near sundown. Do you even know what awaits you in there?"

"I don't know. Death, hopefully. Maybe it'll be fast. I don't know, Gale. Enlighten me." Gale slid down the steep slope towards her before taking her hand and leading her towards a stable spot to stand. "Are you usually this suicidal?" He questioned.

Artemis shrugged. "Depends."

"Do you even know how to hunt?"

"No but, does it matter? I just want some berries. Maybe try to catch a squirrel."

Gale crossed his arms in question. "How are you going to catch a squirrel-" Artemis weld out the pocket knife that was hidden in her pocket.

Gale stared at it for a moment. He looked puzzled as if he was trying to piece something together. He put his hand up to his chin, lightly grasping while letting out a humming noise.

Artemis soon became annoyed with his indecisive nature. "I'm sorry but, that little thing isn't going to do you justice out here." He blurted out while pointing to the knife. "What!" Artemis ground her teeth together in anger.

Gale nodded his head while taking the knife out of her hands. He ran his thumb along the edge of the blade. "Plus it's dull." He pointed out before giving the pocket knife back to Artemis.

"You might as well just jump on a squirrel and gnaw on it to death if you think that thing is going to help you." He watched as she stuck her bottom lip out in a pout while swaying back and forth. Gale gave her a dead stare. "Would that act-"

"No. That wouldn't work." He interrupted pursing his lips together. "Why would you even think that'd work?" He asked turning away towards the assent they had tumbled down into.

Artemis quickly trailed behind him. "I don't know. You seem like a woodsy guy. I figured you'd know. Maybe from experience." Artemis leered. Gale rolled his eyes. "You don't get it." He snapped. "You're not from the Seam, being "woodsy" isn't something most people want to be but, they have to, to survive."

Artemis took a step back in surprise. No one has ever snapped at her for being sarcastic to the point where she was at a loss of words. She had stuck something inside of him that she hasn't witnessed at school. She felt bad. And it wasn't too often she felt this way. "I-I'm sorry." She hesitantly stated.

Gale perked an eyebrow up in question at this. An apology from the school bully? Was this pity? He could see that she did have honest intentions on the apology.

He knew what it was like to be in her shoes. To go one moment being somewhat fine and then having nothing. He could tell she wasn't the backbone of the family, her father most definitely was, but she was trying.

It reminded him of himself when he had first gone through his first hardship. Now, he was taking pity on her.

The bully had character.

Gale's lips turned into a small smirk for moment when Artemis wasn't looking. He coughed gaining her attention. "You know, Katniss is usually my hunting partner and since she's gone and your family's starving which has forced you to come out here, why don't I teach you how to hunt and you can at least keep me company?" Gale offered with a brow perked up interest.

Artemis scanned over his features, he was definitely from the Seam, his eyes were a cloudy grey but they held his word. She pursed her lips as she decided.

The pros of this was that she wasn't going to be lonely, she was more than likely to get more food, and she was going to learn how to hunt. The cons were he may steal from her and he may eat her out to the peacekeepers.

However, he did say he used to be hunting partners with Katniss and she was trustworthy enough to her.

"Deal. But this is only until Katniss gets back." Artemis clarified with pointing her finger towards his face. Gale's lips turned into a frown again, his brows furrowing as he gestured with his head for her to walk with him.

"Do you think she'll actually come back?" He asked as they trudged through the forest. Artemis realized she had hit a soft spot with him, she immediately tensed up. "I don't know," She shrugged. "She's...strong. I think she may have a chance." Gale sighed out as he looked towards the leaves on the tree branches. "Chances don't mean anything."


	4. Friends?

Artemis started the day with a yawn as she forced herself to wake up. She hadn't been used to waking up this early but, according to her new partner Gale dawn was the best time to hunt.

She roused herself up out of bed towards the window that overlooked the small merchant square. The sky was turning light either the dark blue sky giving way to a shade of purple. She slipped on her clothes, pulling her hair up as she snuck quietly down the stairs. No one was up yet. Perfect.

She slid onto the couch and proceeded to shove her feet in a pair of boots. She had learned the hard way that boots were the only kind of shoe meant for the woods when she had accidentally stepped in a mud puddle and lost her slip on shoe. Gale had smirked at her as she trudged home with one shoe. Serena was upset. She had told her mother that she had lost it climbing over some piles of wood while trying to get to Gale's house.

That was another thing.

She had stayed quiet about hunting for them in the woods. Her father would have her hide displayed on the wall is he found out she was doing something illegal. As soon as the last boot was tied she was headed towards the door. She had almost made it when a voice surprised her.

"Where are you going?" Torq sternly asked. The sound of his deep voice made her jump away from the door handle like it was electrified. Artemis glanced down at her feet while rubbing her hand.

 _Think of something._

"I was just going to take a little walk. Stop by Beau's and then Gale's. See if they wanted to do anything today." Her voice was meek yet steady. She could feel herself break out into a cold sweat.

"A walk at five in the morning?" He chided, placing his hands on his hips. "Pretty early for a walk." Her father's face as solid as a stone just as hers was. She knew he didn't believe her. But she had to come up with a way to make him believe her.

Finally, she got it. She tried her best to look solemnly at the ground. It didn't take much to make her somber nowadays. Her father noticed her deflated attitude towards the situation. He had rarely seen her so submissive.

Torq knew what she was going through. The family took a pretty hard toll when Gemma, Artemis's close cousin, was reaped into the games. She ended up suffering in the bloodbath. He remembered how depressed he became, or how it strained his relationship with his brother. They still remained somewhat distant.

Torq let out a deep sigh. "Seriously, Artie, if you ever need to talk about what's going on, your mother and I are here."

Artemis's lips were firmly pressed in a fine line across her face as she took in the information for the hundredth time. She had been asked that same question over and over again so many times that she felt as if she was suffocating.

She was relieved that her parents cared, and the Hammond's but, it had come to the point where it was overbearing. She begrudgingly placed her hand on the door handle while pointing to the outside.

"I'm just- I'm going to go clear my head. Start the day." Torq nodded his head with a grunt. "Be back before sundown. Don't cause trouble." She didn't seem to look back to see her father's upset face as she let the door slam on her way out.

The humid air hit her like a wall. There was no time for complaints about the weather. Only a couple citizens milled around outside at this time in merchant square. One being Mr. Mellark from the bakery.

She sent over a small wave towards him as she passed by, he nodded in return. It wasn't unusual for him to be mute. She could count on all ten fingers the times she's actually had a conversation with him. The man liked his silence. This was probably the only time he had to himself, the rest was probably absorbed by Mrs. Mellark and her bossy ways.

She thought of the last she had seen of the games. Peeta and Katniss were still alive. Katniss had just been wounded by a fireball, Peeta was now camping out with a few careers trying to find her. He was leading them in the opposite direction of her.

He was noble, Artemis would give him that. But stupid.

Extremely stupid.

However, if his selflessness that was displayed on television wasn't Peeta she didn't know what was. He had always been that way. Katniss seemed to be doing fine on her own right now. She was just hanging out in a tree for now.

In a way, she had hoped Katniss would never return home. It would ensure that Peeta was coming home, however while she was around that couldn't happen. But, what would be the consequences of that? She'd be hunting all the time, that's for sure.

She also never considered how this effected Gale. Gale never brought up the games. He was suffering like her. That's part of the reason why she liked hanging around him.

Though their friendship - if that's what someone would call it - was brief Artemis was relieved she could finally talk to someone who wasn't too focused on how she felt about Peeta being in the games. Perhaps he didn't bring it up because it pained him as well.

She let her mind wander to the situation if only Peeta had returned home. Would Gale hold a grudge against her? What if the situation was reversed and Katniss came home instead. Would their daily adventures in the woods end? Would she have to learn how to hunt on her own?

Lord knows she couldn't use a bow.

Gale recently let her try using his, he had told her to shoot at a small bird that had perched itself on a low tree branch. She couldn't even draw the string back all the way without it cutting at her fingers.

As she released she had missed by a long shot, hitting the trunk of the tree instead and scaring the bird off.

She smiled as she remembered the image of Gale frowning as he stared up at the arrow in the tree. There was no way he could get it down. That was also the day that he had taught her how to make an arrow.

Artemis continued to learn how to set traps for now, hoping it'd catch something. Nothing so far yet.

She plopped herself down on a rock just outside of the fence near what Gale called "The Hobb", waiting for him to show up. She watched as the purple hue in the sky meshed together with a subtly pink and a vibrant orange as the sun began to rise.

Footsteps startled her.

She turned to see Gale approaching from behind, backpack slung over his shoulder. He gave a brief wave along with a small smile. "Ready, Arts?" He called out. Artemis frowned in displeasure at the new nickname. "Don't call me that." She earned a scoff from Gale as he caught up to her, a small hint of a smile playing on his lips that soon disappeared. "Whatever, Arts."

Artemis groaned as she struggled and fidgeted the backpack that was packed with a few birds and hares. One hare she had caught in her trap. She placed that up on the scoreboard next to Gale's hundreds of kills. It was a satisfying victory for her. Hell, even Gale was a tad proud of her.

Gale nabbed the backpack away from her as they approached the fence. Artemis looked up at him confused. He had never done this before. "We're going to the Hobb." He simply stated in a gruff voice.

Artemis made an oh sound before following him through the fence. "I don't want you-" He trailed off as he passed under the wire. "-to get into any trouble." Artemis gave him a cocky grin as she looked at him through the fence. "Oh, why thank you, oh great and noble sir Gale." She mocked a curtsy which made him roll his cloudy grey eyes.

"Would you stop?" He pleaded, as she snickered coming through the fence. She had gone through careless. She yelped as a small spike from the wire scraped the under part of her eye. Artemis held up her hand to it and pulled away. Of course it had drawn blood. Begrudgingly, Artemis pulled her sleeve over her hand, covering the wound to try to make it stop bleeding.

She winced at the sudden pain that the pressure had caused. Gale turned around to watch her wince as she placed a hand under her eye. "What'd you do?" He asked, trying to sound concerned. Artemis cursed as she managed to catch up with him.

"A barb caught my eye." She answered. Gale chuckled a bit. "Well maybe if you didn't fool around that wouldn't've happened, you ditz." Artemis opened her mouth, gasping in shock at the insult. If there was one thing Artemis was, it _wasn't_ a ditz. "I am offended." Artemis whined. "Here I am basically bleeding out and you're insulting me." Gale smirked and shook his head from side to side. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "You're absolutely ridiculous."

As they approached the Hobb Artemis instinctively fell back behind Gale. Being in a strange environment scared her. But, Gale had told her stories of how from time to time that someone would get a little too rowdy, a little too feely with Katniss, and he'd have to put them in place.

She didn't want that to happen. She dropped her hand from her eye, not wanting to draw attention to herself. "Remember-"

"Don't cause any trouble. Yeah, I know Gale. I'm not trying to get murdered." Artemis hissed out as they crossed the barrier into the Hobb.

The smell of it along was enough to make anyone queasy. Nothing but burning coal and rotting trash laid within. The only good thing that came wafting into Artemis's nose was some soup that was being fashioned up by Greasy Sae.

She was the only person Artemis truly admired in this place. But, of course that stop was for last. At least in Gale's book.

She rolled her eyes as Gale caught her by the sleeve of her jacket, dragging her towards a stand where a man with an eyepatch stood. She quickly learned that this man's name was Bomber, who was extremely hard to understand.

He usually liked any finch that Gale had managed to catch. This time Gale provided him with two, in return Bomber gave him a small amount of spices and herbs that he said he would give to Mrs. Everdeen.

Bomber then proceeded to find a small rag that was on his stand and insisted on giving it to Artemis. Gale passed the cloth on over to Artemis. She took it in her hands, she noted it was small and torn, definitely dirty but, it was a kind gesture. "Thank you." She smiled at Bomber who in return gave her a toothless smile back and motioned for her to press it on her eye.

While still smiling uneasily, she dabbed it against her eye to appease the old man. "Thank you, very much." She repeated. As she turned to follow Gale she swore understood Bomber say, "You have a good day now" in a garbled mess. Gale turned back as Artemis finally caught up with him. "I think he likes you." He teased, forcing Artemis to chuckle a bit. "That's a first."

"Quit being dramatic. He's not the first person to like you."

"Explain why I only have two friends then." She fired back.

Gale's pace seemed to slow a bit after her statement. His face held a discontent look as he gazed at Artemis. She held out her arms confused. "What?" She snapped. It was almost as Gale's lip seemed to pout. "I'm not included on that list, am I?" He wondered.

Artemis pursed her lips. He wasn't but, she still didn't know whether to treat him like a friend or a partner. Gale took her silence as a no and frowned. "C'mon. Let's keep moving." His voice seemed a little more cold than usual.

Artemis let out an anxious sigh as he passed her. She shouldn't've made it seem like he wasn't her friend. They were together nonstop for the last few days. Acquaintances wouldn't do that.

Her heart seemed to sink a little in her chest as she thought about how she had hurt him.

The next person to trade to wasn't as pleasant as Bomber, in fact he had almost gotten hostile with Gale. He wasn't budging on providing him with a wheel of cheese in exchange for a hare and a robin.

At one point Gale had even offered to throw in some berries that Artemis had picked while he had cut down some of his snares. The man didn't budge.

Gale eventually settled on some home grown carrots, while he gave him a robin and a few berries. Artemis was keen on glaring at the man while Gale moved on.

"Who was that guy?" She asked pointing back over her shoulder. Gale rolled his eyes as he gazed back at the man with a red scraggly beard. "That's Atticus." His voice seemed low and agitated. "Surprised you don't seem him. He lives pretty much in merchant square."

"Is he usually that angry?"

"Most of the time. His favorite thing is turkey. But, do you know how hard it is to come across a turkey and not sell it for a higher price?"

"Pretty high?"

"Well Davet gives me a fair amount of money in exchange for one. Not some stupid carrots." Gale's face seemed to flush with frustration. "Katniss is usually better with him."

Artemis felt as if that were a blow towards her statement earlier. She timidly started to trail behind him again. Artemis was relieved to see Greasy Sae as Gale slapped down the sack of meats on the counter.

Greasy Sae smiled at the two as she continued to stir what was cooking in the pot behind the counter. "Well, good day you two. What brings y'all down here?" Her voice was much more pleasant than Atticus's, and a lot clearer to understand than Bomber's.

Gale shrugged his shoulders as Artemis perched herself on a stool in front of the stand. "The usual." Gale replied. He opened his sack and pulled out a nice hare and held it towards Greasy Sae.

Artemis heard a low wolf whistle come from behind. She swiveled around to see a boy who was in her grade, maliciously staring at the hare with a smirk. "That's a good lookin' bunny right there." He complimented, as he took a seat next to Artemis, smiling at the three.

"What's your name, darlin'?" He leaned over towards Artemis with a flirtatious smirk. She could feel the heat rush to her cheeks as he closed the small distance between them. However, he was getting too close for comfort and she leaned back with an annoyed look on her face.

Gale lowly chuckled at the boy. "Leave her alone, Lin. She's not interested." Gale taunted as he handed Greasy Sae the hare. In return he asked for seven eggs and two bowls of her soup. "I'll do the same." The boy beckoned towards Greasy Sae who smiled in return. "Artemis, this is Linden, he's-"

"Basically his brother." Linden chimed in just as a bowl of soup slid his way. Artemis watched as Gale rolled his eyes. "He's a nuisance."

"But I'm _your_ nuisance." Linden said in a sing-song voice. "But you're my nuisance." Gale reassured.

He cleared his throat catching Artemis's hungry gaze. "Greasy Sae, may we wash up?" Gale questioned, pointing between himself and Artemis.

Greasy Sae, wiped off her hands onto her apron while tugging at a large wooden pale. "Hope you don't mind," She huffed as she placed it towards the edge of the counter. "Been usin' it to wash some dishes. Not too bad in there. Better than nothin'."

Artemis stared at the mucky water terrified. Something was definitely lurking under that water. Whether it was alive or not, she didn't want to touch it. "'Smatter?" Linden mumbled out while chomping down on a piece of meat within the stew. "Never touched some water before?" He teased.

Gale jutted an elbow between her ribs causing her to hiss in pain. This was a clear indication to not be rude and wash her hands. She needed it. Dried blood remained on her fingers from when she had touched her cut.

Reluctantly, Artemis stuck her hand into the cold pale, gasping at the sudden icy water. She began washing her hands in a circular motion, sometimes brushing up against Gale's hand which made her abruptly move to the other side of the pale. Somehow they ended up bumping into his again. "Sorry." She mumbled out.

"Hm, well, I'll be damned." Linden cursed, causing Artemis and Gale's heads to veer towards the television that held the games. Artemis gasped a little. There Peeta was, lips locked with Katniss Everdeen.

"Why's she kissing him?" Artemis wondered aloud, placing her hands on her hips and squinting at the screen. She wasn't jealous or anything, she was just surprised. She also had a bad feeling Katniss was just using him.

She peered over towards Gale who's expression was priceless to her. Stone faced, with cold, stormy eyes as he glared at the screen. It was obvious he was feeling a little envious. Artemis couldn't help but, let out a chuckle under her breath at him.

"Gale, stop it." Linden warned as he took a bite of soup. "Keep glaring at that thing and it'll explode." Gale whipped his hands out of the bucket after accidentally touching Artemis's hand for a third time. Artemis seemed taken back by the brashness of his action.

Though his cheeks were flushed red with anger his glare towards Peeta was clearly green with envy.

She brushed this off and sat next to Linden, digging into her stew. The kiss was clearly a ploy to win over sponsors. At least she had hoped. She knew Katniss would never give Peeta a chance if they were in the district.

"So how long have you known Gale?" Artemis asked Linden, trying to make small talk while Gale continued to watch the games. Linden tilted his head from side to side as if he was thinking about it while chewing. "Since we were about eight. So around ten years. Then Dakota came in the picture when we were ten, so he's been around for eight years. Katniss started hanging around him," -He pointed towards Gale with his thumb- "Since we were about fourteen, four years."

Artemis nodded her head as she listened to him drone on about their friendship. She was actually a little envious of Gale now. Even though he had somewhat considered her as a friend he still had a lot, she didn't think of him as a friend and she only had two. Maybe she should start classifying him as a friend to gain more? No. That's horrible.

Suddenly, something shined brightly into her eyes. As some of the sun rays flooded through the creeks of the roof up top of the makeshift trading hole, it seemed to have made something reflect into her eyes and irritating them.

She moved her head a little out of the way of the sun beam to see exactly what was causing the shine.

Artemis raised her brows in admiration as she looked at it. It was a simple chain necklace with a small pendant in the center that appeared to be made out of the only gemstone she knew, opal. It was the most beautiful object she's ever seen. She would've never guessed it would be in a place like this. Whoever sold it needed something bad.

Linden seemed to follow Artemis's eye sight and let out another wolf whistle. "Greasy Sae, lemme see that." Linden beckoned, pointing towards the necklace. Greasy Sae abided and set the simple necklace down in front of Linden.

"Wow." He admired, showing it in front of Artemis. Linden's gasp drew Gale's attention from the television screen to look at what his friends were hooting at. "What'd they sell this for?" He asked, latching onto the pendant of the necklace.

Greasy Sae shrugged her shoulders. "You know I can't trade and tell." She responded with a snide smirk.

"Sassy. How much?"

Greasy Sae let out a scoffing chuckle. "More than you could afford, Linden." She stated while taking back the necklace. "I debated on even putting this out on the shop. It's a pretty little thing. Expensive for sure. Hope the right person comes along and takes it."

Artemis admired it from a ways away as she gnawed on the last of her stew. She probably could afford it. Not at a time like this. She wiped her mouth clean of the stew and pushed the bowl forward. "Well tell whoever gets it I'm jealous. It's beautiful." Artemis stated while standing up and stretching out her legs from sitting.

She sauntered over towards Gale who was just finishing up his stew as well. "I'm going to head out. Promised Beau I'd spend time with him today. See you tomorrow?" She bid while rocking back on her heels.

Gale shook his head while wiping his mouth. "Promised Dakota and this goon I'd go fishing with them. No hunting tomorrow but, I'll try to catch you a fish." His voice was cold.

She couldn't determine whether he was still upset from earlier or if watching Katniss snuggle up with Peeta was eating him up inside. Artemis pursed her lips into a thin line and nodded her head. Linden elbowed Gale's arm.

"You're welcome to stop by later in the afternoon. We should be home by then." Gale offered. His voice was still cold and it threw Artemis off a bit. Once again she nodded her head. "See you tomorrow then."

Once she was gone Gale looked towards Linden who held a sly grin on his face. He rolled his eyes. Linden eyeballed him as if he had known something all along.

"No." Gale stated.

Linden still held the same face.

"It's not like that." Linden wasn't backing down. He had known Gale for almost all of his life. He could tell something was up. Gale shifted uncomfortably in his gaze. After a few more moments, he let out a defeated sigh. "Greasy Sae?" He called out, catching her attention from the stew pot. Linden's lips curved into a smile as he heard the words fall out of Gale's mouth. "How much for that necklace?"


	5. Live Free or Die a Slave

The days seemed to blur together. Artemis would wake up, sneak out of the house, and find Gale somewhere. Either they'd head to the Hobb after being in the woods forever or they would make their rounds around town.

She made sure to keep out of Davet's sight when Gale went to offer him a few fouls and a hare. Beau didn't know as well. Not like he had really cared, he didn't seem to want to come out of the house very much after the Reaping. He would just help out around the butchery or plop down in front of a screen and watch Peeta in the games.

Peeta recently had a life threatening experience. He had gotten ill from one of the careers attack him.

However, that cheesy kiss she watched him have with Katniss must've been a ploy because the next morning there was a Feast (basically the second version of the bloodbath) where it had his expensive medicine in it.

Katniss risked her life to retrieve the medicine for Peeta. That was admirable to Artemis. Her hopes of Peeta coming back were frail the weaker he got through the days. They were down to five tributes now and the next person who was going to die was Peeta.

She didn't want to think that way after all the hopes and wishes that he would return safe but, the other tributes are smart, swift, even brutal. Something Peeta couldn't be when he was recovering from his injury.

Artemis shrugged off the solemn feeling as she walked towards a part of town she'd never been to with Gale. It looked run down and over populated.

She didn't even realize it but, she had moved closer to Gale as they walked. A new place meant new danger. For some reason she put Gale as her protector through all of this.

She quickly shoved herself away from his side, causing him to look over at her with a quizzical look on his face.

He shrugged it off as he rounded to corner towards his house. "Watch your step." He warned her as he stepped up onto the makeshift front porch of the house.

He held out a hand for her to take, to help her up on to the porch. He knew how easy it was to trip up on. She ignored it and hoisted herself up. She looked challengingly into his cloudy eyes.

She didn't need help, she wasn't a damsel in distress. She crossed her arms in annoyance. Gale "humpf"ed as he turned towards the door of his house. Women.

As they entered the small house Artemis noticed it wasn't much cooler inside than it was outside. It almost felt too hot. There wasn't too much to it as well. A worn out couch with one chair in front of a fireplace in what seemed to be a living room.

The kitchen not too far behind it. To her left was a table with a large tub on top of it filled with soapy water left unattended.

There was a crashing sound from the kitchen that startled her. She clasped her hand over her chest as she steadied her nerves.

A woman's voice cursed as she brought up a large plate from under a counter. She didn't look too old, around the same age as her parents. She wondered if the women knew them.

Gale cleared his throat, beckoning for the woman's attention. She looked up over the counter with a flabbergasted look on her face. She wasn't expecting anyone.

Let alone a girl.

She nervously chuckled as Gale took a couple of steps towards her.

"Ma, I'd like you to meet Artemis." Gale announced as he grabbed his mother by her shoulders and guided her towards where Artemis stood awkwardly.

Hazelle's smile was warm and heartfelt as she beamed at Artemis while wiping her hands off on her apron. "I'm Hazelle." She greeted sticking out her hand to be embraced by the younger girls warm hand. "Artemis." She said coolly back with a hunch of a smile on her lips.

The smile turned into a hesitant frown as Artemis thought of why she was here. The games. Katniss. She was close to Gale which means she was probably close to Hazelle and her family. Like a second daughter. "I'm sorry." She whispered out, causing Hazelle's face to become solemn. She balled her fists at her sides in embarrassment. "My friend Peeta..."

"There's no need to apologize my dear." Hazelle cut her off by sweeping a piece of Artemis's hair behind her ear endearingly. "I just...feel so bad for you kids. You shouldn't have to go through this."

This was the most thoughtful thing she had heard anyone say to her about the games. Everyone she knew just asked if she was doing okay and never bothered to actually see what was going on.

A few tears built up in her eyes but, there was no way she was going to let them be shown around Gale and his mother. "Thank you." She stated, her voice barely above a whisper.

She watched as Hazelle went to busying herself with her washing tub. She looked over at Gale who was already staring at her with distress in his eyes.

She had never come to terms on how the games would effect Gale. She felt bad, she had only been thinking about herself in this situation. She didn't even realize Gale was hurting until now. He was so good at hiding it. Perhaps he didn't want to talk about Katniss just like how she didn't want to talk about Peeta.

A small girl no older than three walked towards Hazelle with arms spread open, begging her to pick her up. Gale's eyes shot over to the young girl, for the first time Artemis had seen him smile genuinely.

He stuck one finger out for the toddler to latch on to, she waved it back and fourth, cooing at him. "This is Posy. She just got better from being sick." Gale informed Artemis as he took his sister out of his mother's hands so she could return to work.

Artemis couldn't help but, smile as she watched Gale bounce his sister up and down making her giggle. He was such a sweet older brother to her. She knew that he spoiled her rotten.

Gale held out Posy towards Artemis, Posy's arms extending over to her. Her eyes widened as she looked at the toddler.

If she didn't take Posy, Gale may be offended but, if she did take Posy she wouldn't know what to do with her. She's never held a child before.

She gulped and meekly smiled as she took the toddler into her hands. Posy gurgled and giggled, snot running down her face, as she held her away from her body.

Her stomach felt a little queasy as Posy wiped her nose and then latched back on to her forearm. Snot covering her arm.

Gale held up a questioning brow at Artemis. "I've...never...held a kid." She admitted, a rosy blush coming off of her freckled cheeks.

No one in merchant square had had a kid since Carina and she was only four at the time. It's been well over ten years since she's even interacted with a kid.

"Where are the boys?" Gale wondered out loud with a perked brow. He pushed Artemis's elbows in, forcing her to have Posy straddle her hip.

Hazelle absentmindedly shrugged her shoulders. "Rory went out with some friends a couple of hours ago, Vick must be here somewhere." Hazelle replied as she threw a few clothes into the metal tin and began scrubbing them against the washboard.

She has been working overtime for the past couple of weeks to make sure they had enough for Posy's medicine. Her fingers were numb and chapped from the soapy water.

Artemis set down the toddler, letting her wander around the house as she crossed the room to Hazelle. "Do you need any help?" She asked as she watched Hazelle plunge her hands into the water with a blue shirt in hand.

Hazelle's eyes connected with Artemis's for a moment as she gauged on what to do. She was tired, and her daughter needed her but, she was unsure if she was asking to help her for money. She couldn't afford paid help at the moment. Hazelle plastered a smile upon her lips, holding a somewhat genuine look in her eyes.

"That's all right, my dear. When you get as old as me you don't mind the cold water." She shrugged off, continuing to labor over the washboard. Artemis looked at her confused for a moment, she looked a tad tired but still was continuing to drone on with her work. She figured that Hazelle was just guarding herself.

Even she had to agree that if some stranger she had just met offered her to help by doing her only job she would be cautious.

She was startled when Gale walked by her side holding out the ever-snotting Posy in his hands. "Just hold Posy." Gale instructed, leaving the toddler squirming in his friends arms.

Artemis latched on to Posy, lifting her up over her shoulder as Posy began to sniffle out a small cry of frustration. Absentmindedly she started bouncing the toddler up and down in her arms to try to calm her down.

Gale admired this for a split second, watching Posy get his friends shirt all slimy with her snot and drool. He couldn't help but let out a breathless laugh. Better her than him.

"Why are we here again?" She whispered out, her brows furrowing as she watched him lightly laugh. "You don't want to meet my family?" Gale teased, forcing her face to light up in embarrassment.

She stuttered for a moment before she found the word, "No.", as she watched him smirk.

His grasp latched on to a grey tattered jacket that was strewn behind a chair across the room. "It looks like it's going to rain." He mumbled out under his breath.

She raised her brows, making a silent "oh" sound. The clouds were a bit more grey than usual today. She wondered if the rain would help mask their scent while hunting or if it would give their position away for some reason. Whatever the reason she knew she was going to get drenched.

She hadn't exactly noticed the sky or weather pattern until Gale brought it up. Which meant she left her jacket at home.

The toddler squirmed in her arms, squeaking out cries of frustration, demanding to be set down. Afraid of losing her grip, Artemis placed Posy on the ground for a half second before attempting to pick her up once more.

She felt Gale's rough hand wrap around her right wrist. She peered up at him in confusion as he shook his head once. A man of few words. She rolled her eyes leaving Posy alone to wobble around the house. "Let's go." Gale's voice was firm and low.

Hazelle looked up from the wash tub to see her son and his friend getting ready to flee. She placed a small smile on her face as she caught Artemis's wandering eye. "Be good." Hazelle advised them. "It was nice to meet you."

The young girl waved towards Hazelle before being ushered out the door by Gale.

"Your mom seems nice." Artemis stated as she strode along side Gale on their way towards the fence. "Yeah, well, it's not everyday I bring a girl home."

Artemis snorted at his response. Granted, they have not met until recently she had heard a few girls in the school yard swoon over him. It was unbelievable that he hadn't brought a girl home, other than Katniss. "You're not catching feelings for me are you?" She teased, a smirk coming across her lips.

He let out a cold chuckle at her statement. "C'mon, we're not even friends. Remember?"

The words that she uttered out a few days prior poked a certain pain in her chest. She felt remorse for what she had said, especially after meeting his family and his friends, teaching her how to hunt, providing to her family along with Katniss's. Gale was more than accommodating to her and she had treated him like garbage.

"Touché." Artemis whispered out under her breath. A moment of silence was split between the two as they walked on the gravel path away from the Seam. The only sound heard was the crunching of rock and dirt beneath their feet.

Her mind wandered back to Gale's words from before. It was like it had singed away at her heart. Gale was a friend, maybe not then, but now. He's also going through the same struggle as herself, he had lost his dear friend to the Games which she may never return from.

When she thought of Peeta it made her heart ache even more than it was, she hadn't spoken with Beau since the Reaping. Something he would never do if Peeta hadn't been reaped.

He had consumed himself in helping his father at the butchery. It must be nice to have a steady supply of meats coming to their door. Meats that Artemis hunts for. Meats that are too pricy for her family at the moment even though she hunts for it, skins it, bargains for it with Gale at times.

A cool hatred for her best friend boiled up inside of her as she thought of him. She knew she had to speak with him whether he liked it or not.

Perhaps if she spoke to him while Gale was around he would know she meant business when she wanted to talk.

She thought for a moment about Gale. Perhaps she was absentmindedly replacing Beau with Gale. But the real question was if that was a bad thing.

A slight glance up at the grey sky made Artemis flinch in regret that she hadn't worn a jacket. However it was the spring almost summer, how cold could the falling rain be?

Her eyes fell on Gale's large stature as they approached the fence. He was cold but, he was humble, and grateful enough to help her provide for her family in this time of struggle.

She huffed out a sigh as she watched him swoop his torso under the fence. "I'm sorry." She broke the silence.

Gale peered from the other side of the fence at her confused. She shuffled her feet while twiddling her thumbs, her face feeling hot as she knew she had Gale's direct attention.

"I'm sorry for being a jerk back at the Hobb. I shouldn't have said you weren't my friend. In fact right now-" She duct her head under the fence, the rest of her body following in on swift motion. She tucked a loose hair of hers behind her ear as she looked up into Gale's stormy grey eyes. "Right now, you're my only friend."

Gale could feel his lips ajar slightly as Artemis seemed sincere about this apology. Her face seemed to be tinted a light pink as she avoid eye contact with him, her feet shuffling underneath her.

He smirk a little before licking his bottom lip and clearing his throat, gaining her attention. He shoved his hands in his pockets, his posture becoming a bit more relaxed than usual.

"You know," He started, his hand right hand coming up to scratch the stubble growing on his face. "I didn't say that you were my friend."

That was it.

Artemis swore she could feel her heart drop to her stomach. She could slap herself for actually believing someone other than the two people she grew up with, would want to be her friend.

She was obnoxious and anti-social, who would want to be friends with that?

A stinging sensation pricked at her eyes, she forcibly blinked it away. She couldn't show how upset she was, that would be showing weakness.

Instead, she looked up at Gale and nodded her head silently before starting to walk into the woods. Each step seemed to last an eternity with her hopes of a new friendship getting crushed.

Gale could visibly see the difference in her attitude as they walked. He rubbed the back of his neck guiltily. She had taken his joke rather seriously.

As they made the tree line he slung his arm around her shoulders, before saying, "I'm just messing with ya."

This made her stop mid stride, along with Gale who only seemed to smile genuinely at her surprise. He could see that she was happy that he had agreed to be friends with her but, she didn't want to show it.

He chuckled a little before striding in front of her to lead the way. "Let's go, Artie." He chirped from ahead. She perked her brows up in surprise at the new nickname he had given her. "Artie?"

By the mid afternoon their hunting plans were up in the air as a dense downpour left them stranded in the middle of the woods drenched.

It was sudden and had frankly caught the both of them off guard. Gale didn't seem to mind it, he had brought his jacket after all. He had also spent a lot of his time in the rain during hunts with Katniss. It didn't bother him. It was also an advantage to hunting.

Artemis crossed her arms over her chest, clinging on to her body in a vice grip. She couldn't believe how cold the rain was, it was almost summer. She cursed herself for not wearing a jacket.

Gale peered down at his smaller friend watching her shiver as her hair became completely soaked. He rolled his eyes at how unprepared she was as he noticed a shiver roll through her body.

He held a tight grasp on her upper arm, gaining her attention. Her green eyes looking up at him defensively. "Follow me." His words were drown out by the sound of the pouring rain, she could barely make out what he was saying.

She panicked for a moment as he started to walk down a small slope, she didn't know if he wanted her to follow or not. Whether he instructed her or not she slipped down the slope after him.

The cold rain was nipping at her skin and she could already see the mud working its way up her pant legs as she came to the bottom of the slope. She twisted her head around to find Gale towards her right, heading towards the lip of a shallow cave.

He turned to see if she was still behind him, a small feeling of relief hit him as he watched her come to a halt at the bottom of the slope clumsily. Elegance was not her style. She watched as he jerked his head in the direction of the small shelter, as he walked over and began standing under the opening of the small cave to keep warm.

She eyed the place warily. It wasn't deep, she could see the end of the cave, there were no animals, but there was something about being stuck in a cave at the bottom of a slope that put her on edge. The thought of a mudslide happening and no one would know where they were made her stomach queasy. However, she would take the chance of that happening over getting a terrible cold and not being able to afford medicine.

She cautiously stepped into the small opening, out from the cold rain, soaking up the dryness of the air that it provided. A shiver once again rolled up her spine. She ignored it as she continued to look at the forest which had become a muddy playground.

Gale sat down on the floor of the cave, taking out his knife (much sharper that the one Artemis's father gave her) and whittling away at a stick.

Artemis quickly followed Gale's move and sat on the ground a few feet away from him. She wrapped her arms around her knees and hugged them close to her chest as she shivered once again.

"What did we learn?" Gale's voice was almost taunting. Artemis shot him a quick glare which he was there to return. She sighed out in irritation. "Always bring a jacket."

"Not always. The key is to look at the sky before leaving the house." Gale jeered as he cut a large chunk of wood off the stick he was playing with.

"Well grey skies don't always mean torrential rain. They could mean it's just cloudy or it's going to snow. Would you like me to wear a thick jacket in the middle of July when there's a cloudy sky?"

"Have a little common sense." Gale snapped. This felt jolting to Artemis, his voice was cool and irritated. She could tell he was upset that he couldn't hunt since she forgot to bring a jacket. No hunting meant no food on the table for him. She would be irritated as well if her family went a day without eating. Luckily, they've saved some food like berries and honey and bread just in case.

She could tell this wasn't the only thing that was bothering him. It was Katniss. She never left his mind, not even for a fleeting moment. She would have done so much better out in this environment than Artemis.

A pain of guilt built up inside of her. She turned her entire body to face Gale, who held a questionable brow up to her. "How old were you?" She asked not specifying what she meant. Gale shook his head at the broad question. "When you started doing this?" She specified this time.

Gale looked up towards the cave ceiling, sighing as he did so, trying to think back. "I don't know. Maybe thirteen or fourteen. It's been a long time." He answered solemnly. She nodded her head at the answer, trying not to look at him. "Is that when you met Katniss or did you meet her before-"

"Why are you doing this?" Gale snapped in an annoyed voice.

Artemis stared blankly at him for a moment flustered, her nose wrinkling in the process. "Forgive me for trying to get to know you. I thought that's what friends did." She jeered, crossing her arms across her chest.

Perhaps she had poked at him too far, perhaps she had over stepped her boundaries. She couldn't help it, she wanted to get to know him. He was providing for her and her family, introducing her to to his family and friends, showing her new things and she hadn't really gotten to know him except for maybe a few habits he did while he was hunting.

Like whistling.

She learned he loved to whistle while they were on the way to the fence. Another shiver ripped through her, this time as she clutched on to her legs, she felt Gale's presence move closer to her.

She shot him a defensive look to which he held up his hands. "I'm not gonna touch you. I'm just scooting closer. Body heat will make you warm." He informed her, sliding beside her.

They sat in silence as they watched the rain trickle down the lip of the cave and splash in the newfound puddle in front of the cave entrance.

Even though Artemis was never too fond of going into the forest, she found that in this moment it was beautiful. She could see why Gale and Katniss spent a majority of their time here. Here they can act as if they're free.

Free from the Capitol, from the Peacekeepers, from the Games, from death itself.

"Do you ever hurt when you think about him?" Gale spoke up breaking the silence. Artemis blinked in confusion for a moment before feeling a blistering irritation gnawing at the back of her mind about Peeta.

She looked over at Gale who was waiting for her answer, his eyes held a look of sorrow as he scanned her face. He was hurting. Something reminded him of her.

Artemis couldn't help but feel bad for him because she knew the pain he was going through. This was the first time he was opening up about it. Artemis returned her gaze out of the cave towards the forest.

"All the time. He's on my mind a lot. I grew up with him, it's kind of hard to know that he won't be coming home."

"You think he won't?"

Artemis pursed her lips as she thought of what to say next. She didn't want to come to terms with him not coming home but as the end grew near and Peeta being badly injured she could almost hear the canon calling his name. "Have you seen him?" Her voice cracked as she spoke softly.

All she could picture was him covered in mud and blood, a couple of large bumps on his skin from where a Trackerjacker had stung him. A frail voice was the last thing she remembered hearing from him. Small, weak, dying as he spoke to Katniss as she tried to soothe him. It wouldn't be much longer until he was gone. Her heart clenched at the thought of him being gone forever. All the memories they shared would sting in her mind for the rest of her life.

She broke.

She tried to stifle it back but she couldn't conceal it well. She whimpered as tears left trails of warmth down her cheeks. She didn't even want to look at Gale, she knew she was showing her weakness by crying. She deemed herself as stupid for it.

A hesitant arm reached around her shoulder, rubbing up and down her upper arm in a comforting manner. "It's okay." Gale stated. His voice sounded uneasy. She couldn't pinpoint whether it was because this was making him uncomfortable or if he wanted to explode as well.

After a moment of sobbing, she finally had caught her breath to calm down. Her finger numbly traced a pattern on the cool ground beside her. The rock beneath her fingertip was rough and jagged yet it seemed to relax her even more.

"Does it hurt you as well?" She whispered out, her voice barely a mumble but it was loud enough for him to hear. Gale retracted his arm away from her as he bit the inside of his cheek. "In a way. But if she were to die out there, it'd be better than dying here." He mused as he picked up a tiny pebble and held it in his hand.

"How so?" Artemis wondered. Gale peered down at her, her cheeks rosy from the exhaustion of crying, hair damp from the rain sticking to her cheeks. He shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not sure. Here, she would die of starvation, hating the Capitol-"

"But if they die in there, they're nothing but slaves to the Capitol." Artemis interrupted.

"And if they make it out they're slaves to the Capitol." Gale responded coolly, a disheartened look on his face. Artemis knew he had more on his mind, more about Katniss, yet he refused to speak to her about it. She understood. They had only known each other for a couple weeks yet, it had felt like an eternity in her eyes. She had no friends, that may be why she felt as if it were forever. Gale leaned back with his palms on the ground behind him, almost relaxed. "What's it like?" He wondered aloud, catching Artemis off guard. Her face turned to him puzzled. "To not live like I do. What's it like?"

Artemis scoff and shook her head at the question. Of course he felt as if he were beneath her. "What do you mean, we're the same." Artemis choked out with a smirk on her face. Gale let out a monotone, "Ha." forcing Artemis to roll her eyes.

She glanced back to him with a frown on her face. "Seriously, What makes you think we're different?" Artemis's voice was hot, filled with spite.

"Look where I am right now. I'm in the middle of the woods trying to hunt for my family, stuck in the same cave as you. We don't have that much money. I mean we may have a higher status but, do you think that comes with special privileges? My name still gets entered into the Games, I still live in poverty, I still live under the Capitol's reign just as you. Just as everyone in the Seam, just as the Undersee's, just as District Five, District Seven, all of the Districts. I don't know what kind of special treatment you think everyone gets besides the people in The Seam but I can guarantee you, no one is happy. Except for the people in the Capitol."

Gale rose to his feet abruptly, startling Artemis. It was as if he had sat on a fire. "Then let's do it." He quipped, sticking his hands in his pockets and pacing around the small entrance of the cave. Artemis threw a confused look at him, his whole stature had changed from being defensive and moody to determined and strong willed. "Do...what?" She asked hesitantly. He stopped in his tracks to turn back to Artemis, a smile upon his face. "Let's leave."

"Leave?" Artemis reiterated.

"Leave. Grab our families and go. Live in the woods. Away from the District, away from the Capitol-"

"You're suggesting that we live in the woods? We couldn't do that, we'd be caught. Too many people would notice we'd be gone. A-and even if we weren't caught who says we could survive out here? All of us. There's no way we'd have enough food-" Artemis protested as she stood up from the ground of the cave, she noticed the small puddle her soaked body had left behind. Gale crossed the way and gripped onto her shoulders. "The difference is that if we die out here we won't be slaves."

Artemis's pursed her lips, she was surprised by the sudden action of Gale. He couldn't even open up fully to her and here he was asking for her to run away from everything, possibly running for her life if the Capitol found out. "Gale..." She hummed out in a worrisome tone but before she could even finish she noticed his actions changed instantly. He was back to his solemn moody self again, eyes clouded and lips drawn into a firm frown. "It doesn't have to be now. Just think about it."

Artemis stared at him for a moment, she could've sworn she had seen a spark in his eye but, it had quickly vanished as it had appeared. If Peeta and Katniss never came back their lives would intertwined for the rest of their days, or at least until they found other people to provide for. She couldn't even imagine what their lives would be like if Katniss or Peeta didn't return. Her feet shuffled around the cave ground before she answered his question.

"Okay."


	6. The Washtub of Lies

A yawn escaped Artemis's lips as she sat at the table where she had gathered together a piece of bread with fresh smashed berries spread over the top of it. Freshly smashed, as in she took a few and just smooshed them on top of the bread. Not the most nutritious thing to have for a meal and it was hardly filling but it had to suffice.

She woke up with her head aching, she could feel the congestion coming from the time she had spent out in the cold rain. Somehow she knew Gale would find a way to nag her about it.

But not today.

Today she deemed it as her off day. The games were coming to an end with only four tributes left. One of the tributes being her friend. The Capitol seemed to have made an exception to Peeta and Katniss's star-crossed lovers scenario and was allowing two victors from the same District win.

They were the only two left who were from the same District. Peeta's life was left in Katniss's hands now and she couldn't tell if that was a good or bad thing. However, he was recovering from his leg wound. He may have a chance to fend her off if she betrayed him.

She shivered under the green blanket she had placed over her shoulders. She looked towards the fireplace to see the embers quickly dying out. The bright, angry, orange colors dwindled vibrantly under the charred wood.

She shuffled her feet towards a small pile of wood to the left of the fireplace and tossed a couple logs into the pit and a few bits of kindling. She poked and prodded at the small flames with a twig of kindling until she deemed it strong enough to heat the house.

She looked over at the pile of wood that was stacked next to the fireplace. Only three logs left. She sighed, the huff of air ruffling her bangs, as she placed her hands on her hips. She threw the blanket off of her shoulders and tossed it on to the small couch. She ached as she slid on her boots, tying them in a knot before slipping on her jacket.

"Leaving again?" Her fathers voice startled her, making her jump. She lifted herself up from the couch to face him. His large build almost taking up the entire space of the doorframe from his room, his arms crossed with a displeased frown on his face.

"I'm just going to get more wood." She shrugged nonchalantly. Her fathers face looked unamused. "Uh-huh." He hummed out. Artemis was sweating under her fathers suspicious gaze. "Artemis Lynn." She rolled her eyes at the use of her middle name. She was not in the mood to get lectured. "Can you tell me why when I was making my deliveries yesterday to Mr. Northcott he told me he saw you with Gale coming out of The Hob?"

Artemis's blood froze. Not only was she poaching illegally outside of the fence but she was also illegally trading game within The Hob with Gale. She would be in trouble for the next century if she told her father the truth. "The Hob? Like where they sell the illegal stuff?" She questioned with a perked brow. Best to play dumb in this scenario. "That's the one." Torq replied, nodding his head. Artemis let out a soft chuckle.

"No." Lie.

"You told me to never go there." Truth.

"I don't want to get in trouble with you or the lowlifes that hang around there." Semi-truth.

"Besides, isn't Mr. Northcott old? He must be seeing things, especially since his wife passed recently." Truth.

Torq crossed the room towards his eldest daughter, his arms still crossed over his chest with an unmoving frown set on his face. He stared down into his daughters defiant green eyes. "Gale hangs out at The Hob. I see him go in and out all the time with game. You're not going out behind the fence, are you?" Torq interrogated.

Once again Artemis's blood felt frozen. He was on to her. She hoped none of her sisters ratted her out. Time to throw him off completely. Artemis let out an audible scoff as she rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "Gale is different. Besides I never go there with him." Torq narrowed his eyes at her. "Then why do you spend all that time in the Seam?"

"I'm working for Hazelle." The lie effortlessly rolled off her tongue. Her face turned pink once she realized what she had said. She had just opened a can of worms.

Her father raised his brows intrigued by this newfound information. "Mrs. Hawthorne gave you a job?" His voice did not seem impressed. Artemis's gaze shifted towards the creaky wooden floors beneath her feet as she shuffled her toes inside of her boots. Gale was going to kill her.

"Y-yes." Artemis timidly answered. Her father didn't look like he was going to buy the lie. She waited for his harsh words, lecturing her about lying. It never came. In fact, he patted her on the shoulder, surprising her. "I'm glad you're starting to work. We could use the extra income. I can't wait to visit you at work." He winked as he proudly adorned her.

He embraced her in a tight hug, squeezing the air from her lungs. Artemis mentally slapped herself, her face becoming hot with embarrassment from the lie she was getting into. "So when do you work next?" He boasted proudly. Artemis stammered before answering him. "Later. Tomorrow. But we'll be busy. We don't really like company-"

"Nonsense. The Hawthorne's and I go back. I'm sure Hazelle will be happy to see me." Her father insisting. Artemis could feel her emotions deflating like a balloon. She couldn't believe the mess she had just gotten herself into.

She cleared her throat a bit, indicating her father to let go. She looked up as he let go of her, smiling endearingly down at her. "I'm going to get some fire wood. Nestle in for the day." She meekly mumbled out. Her father nodded, standing out of her way so she could make her quick exit to the outside world.

The morning air nipped at her skin as she clung on to her jacket stepping outside. She stood for a moment on the front porch, staring off into the distance, processing everything that had just happened. Only one word could come to her mind.

"Fuck." She whispered out, regaining her consciousness. She started down the front steps and rounded the side of her house repeating the profanity. She ran her fingers through her hair as she paced the back of her house panicking.

She was going to lose the first friend she had made on her own in years due to a stupid lie to save her own skin from doing illegal trading. "You look like you're overreacting." A voice said from across the way.

She stopped pacing and glanced over her shoulder to see Beau smirking at her with a dirty pail in his hands filled with feed for the two pigs and three chickens they had. It must've been feeding time.

She glared over at her curly haired neighbor. If they didn't raise their prices she wouldn't be in this situation. She would've never met Gale and things would've been normal. She wasn't overreacting.

She rolled her eyes at him, ignoring his comment as she started to pluck logs from the stack of wood from behind their home. She hurriedly paced towards the side of her house, trying to make it back inside without hitting him.

"Hey. Wait." Beau called after her, his pail hitting the ground with a metallic twang. "Please." His voice sounded like he was pleading.

Artemis stopped dead in her tracks while rolling her eyes, waiting for him to catch up. She turned to greet him with an icy gaze. His face became pinched and nervous. "I want to apologize." He bluntly stated. Artemis scoffed.

"No seriously. I've been taking everything pretty hard too. I don't want you to think that I don't care about you or…him." Beau's gaze looked solemnly towards the ground. "I have hope…that he'll come back…and everything will be the same again." Artemis knows he's trying to stifle back a sniffle as he looks towards the ground.

Beau has been dealing with the lost of their friend as well yet, he didn't go to anyone for help or to let it out like she had with Gale. He trapped himself in his house, not once acknowledging her.

She too knew the jumble mess of feelings he felt that was lying in his chest. She felt it everyday. She felt it when she looked at the bakery. She felt it when she watched her friend fight for his life in the games. Every time his face showed any pain or fear she could feel the jumbled feelings congesting in her chest making its way down to her stomach and twisting it in a knot.

"You're…okay." She said as she pushes back a piece of hair behind her ear. "There's no need to explain yourself." The stood in an awkward silence for a moment as if there were something they wanted to get off their chests but were too afraid to say it.

She started to worry that he had known about her expeditions with Gale since he sold some of their game with his father. "We'll see him soon. I'm sure of it." Beau quipped excitedly, his hazel eyes dancing with joy as they looked at Artemis's tense posture.

She frowned as she thought of the games ending soon. "I have to go. The games should be on soon. It looks like they're ready to end them." Beau's smile faded, his face becoming disheartened a little. "Oh. I'll see you later then." He gave her a small wave. She nodded then turned on her heel with the logs nestled in her arms. They were starting to feel too heavy for her arms to carry. "We'll see if your prediction is right." She called over shoulder.

She tapped her front door with the toe of her boot, asking for someone to let her in. She peered over at the bakery out of habit while waiting for someone to open the door.

Her heart sank.

It had been two weeks since her friend was taken away to the Capitol to fight to the death. Most people should've been over the loss of their friend by now but it seemed like she was wrong. Beau and Gale were both hurting as was she. She was not alone but she felt like it.

The door creaked open revealing Naga with her pale blonde hair pulled up in a messy bun, her blue eyes half open as if she didn't want to be up. Her eyes looked at Artemis with displeasure. "Doing laundry with the Hawthorne's? Really?" She hissed our under her breath.

Artemis immediately hushed her sister, her brows knitting together out of anger. "Don't tell them. You made a promise." Artemis whispered to the older twin, who rolled her eyes. "It's not me you have to worry about." Naga insisted throwing her thumb back into the living room where Artemis could see Katherine sitting on the couch, eyes glued to the telescreen.

Artemis let out a frustrated sigh. "I'll talk to her." She stated as Naga let out a snort. "You better."

Artemis crossed the room, grabbing Katherine's attention as she dropped all the wood in front of the fireplace. She could feel Katherine's jittery worried eyes boring into the back of her head as she began stacking the wood into a neat pile.

The news of Artemis getting a job with Hazelle was spreading quickly through the house like a wildfire. Her father was quite the boaster when it came to her.

She brushed off the palms of her hands as she stood up from the floor. She spun around to see Katherine's eyes following her every movement anxiously. She pursed her lips in a thin line before settling in a spot next to her on the couch making Katherine extremely nervous.

Even though she was considered a queen bee in her class, and a nag to her and Naga, she still found Artemis to be intimidating.

Artemis slung her arm around her younger sisters shoulder. "Hey drama queen." Artemis purred out. Katherine sighed and turned her face in the opposite direction of her sister. "I hear you heard about my new job from dad." Artemis's grip tightened on Katherine's shoulder making her feel uncomfortable.

Katherine rolled her eyes. "You're going to get yourself in big trouble Artemis." Katherine nagged staring her down with a confident gaze. She was trying her best to stand her ground, however, her older siblings gaze was quite intimidating. "Okay, well," Artemis clenched onto Katherine's shoulder tighter. "Remember that the trouble that I'm getting into is providing you with food. And if anyone finds out about this, and I mean anybody, I will personally take all of your dresses-"

"Don't you dare bring them into this."

"-and sell them illegally at The Hob-"

"That's so wrong. There's so many creepy people there."

"-and I will take all the money I make off of them and keep it." Her grip on Katherine's shoulder was unbelievably tight that her sister started to whine in pain. "So be that good actress you want to be so desperately and act like I work for Mrs. Hawthorne." Katherine nodded her head obediently to her older sister.

Artemis released her grip on Katherine's shoulder, her threat was made, the point was clear. Katherine rubbed the spot where Artemis's fingers clung on to, the red marks starting to vanish. "Good." She hummed out loud.

She already knew she was in trouble with Gale, there was no need for her sisters big mouth to get her into even more trouble. However, a queasy feeling made its way into her stomach as she thought of herself telling Gale the situation. He wasn't going to take it lightly.

There was an ear piercing shriek of excitement that filled the room. The siblings all rolled their eyes. Only one person could make that high pitch of a sound. Her mother quickly darted into the room, plopping down next to Artemis, wrapping her arms around her face tightly.

Artemis struggled to get out of her grasp, she was sure she was losing oxygen from the embrace. "Mom." She hissed as she pulled away. "I'm so glad you're working with Hazelle. Hazelle and I go back quite a ways. She'll take good care of you." Serena yipped out excitedly while Torq stood behind her with his hand over her shoulder, small smile placed on his lips.

No doubt that they were proud but they were also astonished that someone would take in another person for a job, one that's not in the mine's, at a time like this.

Especially Hazelle. She was the finest laundress in Twelve and could get the coal soot out of any article of clothing.

They had their laundry done by her at least once a month, when they could afford it, otherwise that was Katherine's regular chore. It wasn't that Katherine was particularly bad and washing clothes, Hazelle had more experience and could get the stains out that Katherine couldn't.

"By "way back" you mean when you used to live in the Seam?" Artemis questioned how they had known each other. This was new information to her. No wonder why Hazelle stared at her for a while when she was over at Gale's the other day. She must have reminded her of her father. She was basically a spitting image of him. Serena nodded her head in confirmation.

Artemis felt hot under her parents adorning gazed, smiling sheepishly. "Can we just watch the Games?" She piped up as the Capitol banner displayed on the telescreen playing its trumpeting national anthem.

"My oh, my oh my. What an exciting turn of events these Games have been!" A man with powder blue hair comments with enthusiasm. His name flickers down at the bottom of the screen as Cesar Flickerman. The Capitol's favorite newscaster.

Artemis has seen him wear a variety of different styles for his hair and makeup. From an elegant cream color to a threatening shade of red that made him look like he was bleeding from his eyes and mouth.

He enjoys the Games as much as the Capitol residents, he takes pride in spectating them and shows little to zero remorse for the fallen tributes.

They were all expendable in the Capitol's mind. 24 more tributes will come to them next year to replace the 23 that they lost this year, warming their hearts with adoring stories each different than the last. Each story is a plea for help. The more pathetic a person appears to be, the more likable they are, the more sponsors they get. It was sick.

Cesar goes on in depth of how Katniss is his favorite tribute, as she is with everyone else in the Capitol. There is a brief moment where he acknowledged every fallen tribute, even showing their grimacing deaths, then he reiterated the new rule that the ever so kind game makers made as an exception to Katniss and Peeta where they both can go home together.

All they had to do was kill two more people. Artemis couldn't even imagine Peeta killing someone. He was too innocent. Too soft. Yet, she didn't put it behind her, he did make it this far. Katniss had killed. Multiple tributes. Purposefully or not. That was on her hands.

She watched as Peeta and Katniss trudged through the dark, looking around themselves anxiously, as if they had known something bad was going to happen.

"Ah yes, they have a right to be on the watch," The sound of Cesar's voice broadcast over the screen where Peeta and Katniss lurked. "The game makers did say they wanted to throw something...extra...near the end. It will be fascinating to see how the tributes react to it." Artemis rolled her eyes.

If only they could hear Cesar's voice dripping in delight in the arena, they would know what's coming.

The camera angle moved to where the tribute from District Eleven was shown, carefully holding out a weapon as a caution. Artemis could see the fear in his deep dark eyes, he was on full alert.

There was a rustle that came from beside him in the bushes that made him jump to the side to see what it was. He had just missed it. His hands were shaking.

Two more things rushed past him on the opposite side of the bushes, making snarling sounds. Artemis's brows furrowed as she tried to catch a glimpse at what creatures were zooming past him. Whatever they were they were closing in on him.

Hunting him.

An involuntary shiver made its way down her spine. She was nervous just watching the tribute. She couldn't even fathom her fear for Peeta at the moment but she knew he would soon have to face whatever is lurking in the shadows.

Suddenly something popped out of a bush at the tribute, latching it's sharp teeth around his hand and tearing it to shreds. A mutation, or a mutt, created to look like an oversized wolf.

He couldn't hold in a scream, he immediately let out an agonizing screech before another animal appeared and grabbed his other arm, shaking it around and tearing his flesh apart.

Artemis closed her eyes and covered her ears as if it would help her drown out the screams but she could still hear them echoing in the back of her head. The gore on the screen was enough to make Katherine gag from beside her.

"They just get more ruthless over the years." Her father whispers out under his breath, his voice full of disdain. As the tribute screams the screen is split to show Katniss and Peeta stopping in the midst of their trek and listening on one side and the career from District Two sitting on top of the cornucopia, stopping from sharpening his sword to listen with a smirk on his face.

That was the tribute that sliced Peeta's leg open with that very sword, leaving him to get blood poisoning. Artemis wished the tribute was out of the arena and in Twelve so she could knock the daylights out of him. He was cruel and sick, snapping some kids neck, stabbing another's stomach, slicing a young boys neck open, it made her blood curtal.

Peeta was going to have to face off a sadistic tribute with an injured leg. The sounds of the mutts hot on their trail made Katniss and Peeta glee towards the cornucopia where another predator awaited its prey.

Peeta held his conjoined hands out for Katniss to jump on to hoist herself up into the cornucopia. She quickly pulled him up after her, just narrowly avoiding the mutts. Peeta leaned back away from the edge, panting, as the sound of barking and whining dogs came from below.

There was a strangled cry that came from Katniss as the tribute from Two grabbed a hold of her neck. Artemis wondered how Gale felt about that. She wondered if he wanted to fight for her as much as she wanted to fight for Peeta.

Her best friend rushed the career, tackling him on the top of the structure. Katniss tried to shoot at the career but she failed. She reached for another arrow as the career grabbed Peeta by the neck, threatening to snap his neck.

She stopped dead in her tracks, arrow pulled back on her bow as she stood and watched the career hold Peeta in his grasp. Peeta's face was red, he was gasping for air while the tribute continued to banter with Katniss.

Artemis covered her eyes. She couldn't watch anymore. She didn't want to please the Capitol by watching her best friend die like she pleased them by watching her cousin die.

She thought of the time she was young with Peeta. She thought of where they had been when they first kissed, she was only seven and he had unbelievably accused her of carrying cooties. In order to prove she didn't she had kissed him hastily and he giggled as he retreated back with his face blushing. It was the most abrupt and short thing to ever happen in their friendship and it had never happened again.

She loved him in a different way, like a family member. She couldn't even think about kissing him romantically now.

Artemis opened her eyes just as Katniss shot the career in his hand causing him to jump in pain, dropping Peeta in the process. He slipped off the edge, falling into the teeth of the mutts.

Artemis jumped from her seat with a wide smile on her face. They did it. Peeta was coming home. She was going to kiss his stupid face until it turned as red as it did the first time. She wiped the tears that were falling from her eyes off on her sleeve as she watched Peeta grasp onto Katniss in a tight embrace as the dark nighttime arena shifted to the soft light of morning.

"That was an amazing game. Up until the end it had me on the edge of my seat," Cesar announced, his glee in his voice showing through. "But I did just get word that there is an announcement that is going to make things more interesting for the star-crossed lovers." His voice sounded cynical.

Artemis frowned and refrained from rejoicing as she pondered what the Capitol had in store for the two. What more could they want from them?

The crackling of an announcement being made in the arena made its way to her ears, though she wished she hadn't heard it. "Attention tributes," The voice rang over them. Katniss drew an arrow to her bow, ready to pounce on whatever was making her stay in the arena a moment longer. "The previous revision to the rules where two tributes of the same District can go home has been revoked. Only one may survive. Good luck."

"No." Artemis breathed out as she watched Katniss and Peeta look at each other in shock. Her hands balled up in fists at her side. Of course they would pull something like that. There was no way he could make it.

He was injured and lacking a weapon while Katniss was a prowess of killing. Her hope had vanished. She couldn't even look Gale in the eyes of his friend won instead of Peeta. She would be devastated.

"What's this?" Cesar's tone of voice brought Artemis's attention back up to the telescreen. She watched as Katniss pulled out a handful of berries from her jacket pocket. She recognized them instantly from what Gale had taught her. Nightlock.

They look like black blueberries but are extremely poisonous, it could kill someone within minutes. That's how the tribute in District Five went out. She had done it on purpose. _What is he doing!_ Artemis's heart was pumping rapidly as she watched him hold the berries close to his mouth.

"One." Katniss counted, her grey Seam eyes boring into Peeta's. "Two." Peeta breathlessly said, plucking at Katniss's hair. "Three." Katniss whispered, as she tilted the berries towards her mouth along with Peeta's. "Stop!" The booming voice of the announcer bounced throughout the arena. On command Peeta and Katniss stopped, the berries just at their lips. "Ladies and Gentlemen, The Victors of the seventy-fourth annual Hunger Games."

Everyone in the room cut their prying eyes away from the screen to look up at Artemis. Tears of happiness were pouring out of her eyes, her mouth gaping open out of surprise.

He did it. Her best friend had won. He was coming home. Her heart was overflowing with relief as she watched the telescreen promptly state his name and Katniss's name as the winners of the 74th annual Hunger Games. She felt like she could cry for eternity out of happiness and relief. There would be no more stress and no more worry now that he was coming home.

There was a rapid knocking at the door. She instinctively knew who it was. She leapt over the back of the couch, running towards the door. She only saw Beau's smiling, excited freckled face for a moment as she threw the door open.

She couldn't contain herself as she jumped up into an embrace, wrapping her arms and legs around his torso. "He did it!" She screamed as Beau toppled backwards off of the porch with her. Even when everyone doubted him she knew that Peeta would come out on top.

She breathlessly laughed as the tears seeped out of her eyes. Beau wrapped his arms around her waist as he laid down in the dirt with his childhood friend sobbing on top of him. He patted her back in reassurance.

He was happy too of course but not happy that he was laying on the ground. "He's coming home!" She shouted happily readjusting herself so she was straddling him. "He's coming home!" She repeated as she shook Beau's shoulders. He smiled lazily up at her, grabbing her shoulder as well. "I know, I know!" He replied with a soft laugh.

As Artemis rejoiced with Beau she didn't notice the grey eyes that were placed on her from down the street.

Gale smiled warmly as he watched her sob tears of joy on top of the butchers son. He sighed softly to himself as he placed his hands in his pockets, he had ran all the way to Merchant's square to see if she had heard the news.

Of course she did.

Now everything could go back to normal. She'd live out her days in Merchant square with the new victor and he'd go work in the mine's wishing he'd be in Merchant square with a victor. He turned on his heel and started to walk back to the Seam.


	7. Who is that?

Usually, Artemis would hiss at her mother for toying with her hair but this morning she appreciated it. Feeling her mother's long finger rake through her scalp and elegantly pulling it up in a top knot made her feel even more relaxed than what she had felt in a long time.

She sighed as let her mind wander and day dream about what would happen this afternoon when Peeta was scheduled to come home. Her mother was prepping her hair to make her look nice to see her friend again. The friend who she thought she was going to lose to the Games.

She had sobbed tears of joy into her pillow last night as she thought of his homecoming. She was glad he was coming home. Enthralled. If he hadn't she'd be crying a different set of tears.

She wondered how Gale was reacting to all of this. Was he acting the same way that she was other was he being stoic like usual? Katniss had brought herself and Peeta back alive. It was something Artemis was going to have to thank her for. But was she prepared to have her around all the time? She was a victor just like Peeta, she would live next to him in the victor's village alongside the only other victor, Haymitch. They had also professed their love for one another on live television.

So she would have to be around constantly now since they were together. Would that mean Gale would be around more often? Or would he sulk at Katniss finding another love and stay away from them?

As soon as her mother was done plucking at her hair she stood up and placed her shoes on her feet. She looked back to see her mother giving her a questionable look to which she replied with a smile. "I'm going to see Gale. I'll be back." Artemis informed as she tapped the toes of her shoes against the wooden floor.

Her mother sighed in defeat, shaking her head as if she were annoyed. Artemis frowned as she looked at her mother. Had she done something wrong? Was she spending too much time away from home? The only reason she was was to put food on the table. She hadn't told her family about the hunting but she had lied and said she was working for Hazelle, she assumed that they would understand that she was gone a lot.

"I could stay," She stated in a meek voice, attempting to take off her shoes before her mother stopped her. "You can go." She granted with a firm wave of her hand. Artemis pursed her lips together in a fine line. Her mother was trying to guilt trip her but she knew if she stayed it would only cause an argument. She looked at her mother one last time before she exited the house.

The square was bustling with people, it was more than what she had been used to. She assumed it was because of Peeta and the bakery, which had a large gathering around it. Perhaps the Mellarks were doing interviews, or people were just congratulating them on their sons win.

She wondered if the Mellarks were even happy their son was coming home. After what Peeta had told her what happened during his goodbye to his family, Artemis couldn't bring herself to even glare at Mrs. Mellark. She was far beneath her. Mr. Mellark was a different story, the kindest out of the family besides Peeta. Bern and Isaiah had unfortunately taken after their cruel mother. Which would explain why they didn't heroically volunteer for him like Katniss did her sister.

Artemis veered to her left towards the street Gale lived on in The Seam. Even it was crowded with people trying to get a look at Katniss's home. If that's what it was called. Like all houses in The Seam, including Gale's, it was a poor excuse as a house. It didn't look too sturdy and it was bound to collapse at some point. Good thing Katniss's family didn't have to live there for much longer.

She bounded up on the small porch of the Hawthorne's residence and knocked lightly on the door. She smoothed out the dress that her mother had picked out for her, she insisted on her looking good when Peeta arrived. This time Artemis didn't mind it. The door creaked open and her hopes of seeing Gale were suddenly dulled as Linden's stature filled the doorway.

"Artemis, it's always a pleasure when you show up." Linden purred out with a smirk that caused her to roll her eyes. It was a poor attempt at flirting, it seemed to become his usual thing to do when they saw each other. She would always deny his attempts. "I would say the same but, it is you Linden." She greeted back with an annoyed tone. "Where's Gale?"

"Looking for your crush?"

"Looking for my friend. I assume he's not that busy since our infamous victors have yet to arrive." Artemis corrected him with a slight hint of sarcasm in her voice that made Linden's light-hearted face turn almost sour and serious. He stuck his head a little further out the door, craning it from side to side. It was as if she had did something illegal and he wanted to see if anyone had seen her. "Careful about what you say. They're watching us." He warned, his voice was low and foreboding. It was chilling to see him act serious after she was used to his humorous nature.

He was quickly yanked back by the scruff of the collar on his shirt by Gale who took over the space where Linden was standing. His eyes were the same cloudy grey as before but something lingered in them that made him seem different. Something that made him seem a little more colder.

"Hey," He greeted, stepping further out onto the porch, softly shutting the door behind him so Linden couldn't hear. It was a private conversation that it seemed that he intended on having. Artemis, although taken back, smiled at Gale in greeting. "I came by because I wanted to see if you wanted to join me in going to the train station. Beau was planning on coming and he said he'd bring enough chick-"

"That's all right, Artemis," He cut her off, his voice cold. "I promised I'd take Katniss's family up there. Besides you should be with the merchants." She looked up at him confused by his cold nature towards her all of a sudden. Since when did the status of her family come in the way of them walking to see their friends arrive from the death tournament?

Then she pieced it together. Katniss was coming back, there was no need for her anymore. Even as a friend. She shoved these thoughts aside. There was no way he would just stop being friends with her. But something inside her felt betrayed. Something she didn't think she would feel today.

She gave him a weak smile while nodding her head. "Another time." She huffed out in disappointment. Gale pursed his lips together, a trait that she had accidentally picked up from him. She patted his upper arm as she backed off of the small porch, looking behind her to see if anyone was standing there. Thankfully no one was there, they were just passing by to see the Everdeens.

"Wait!" Linden's voice raised up loud enough so she could hear him over the muttering crowd. She watched as Linden pushed Gale out of the door frame and bounded down to her. "I'll take his spot, if you don't mind."

She stood frozen for a moment, out of pure shock. She didn't know she had grown that close to Linden as well. However, it did seem fit since he was always around Gale annoying her and desperately trying to flirt with her and whatever woman was around him. She couldn't tell if her cheeks were heating up or if the warm breeze was stroking her face. "Sure." She answered flatly as he waited patiently for her. A smile broke out across his face and he began his steady pace beside her.

Gale didn't want to put too much thought to the pair walking out of The Seam side by side but he couldn't help it. He knew how Linden worked and assumed that soon Artemis would be wrapped around his finger. However, he knew she was strong. Strong like Katniss.

"Is he always like that?" Artemis asked. "I mean, he's always moody but he's never too distant." A piece of her hair strayed in the wind across her face. She plucked it off to the side as Linden chuckled to himself with his hands in his pockets. "Get used to it." He stated. "He showed sympathy when Katniss was away, he showed weakness. That's the Gale you know. The Gale I know, is hard headed and moody. It's probably because he has lady problems."

"So it's true then," Artemis clarified. "Him and Katniss are together. Why won't he admit it?" She felt anger bottled up inside of her, she had trusted him with details of her life, of how she felt about Peeta but he didn't do the same. It was a one sided friendship.

"Because they're not," Linden defended, abruptly stopping as they approached the merchant's square where she lived. "He has feelings for her, he knows that. Katniss just doesn't portray her feelings as well as he does so it looks like she doesn't like him. Makes him doubt himself."

"But does she?"

"Of course, but she won't admit it."

"She hides her feelings?" Artemis perked a confused brow as she began to meander through the crowd of people near the bakery. She liked having Peeta live near but she hated this mass amount of people. Linden nodded. "She always has," He said. Without missing a beat he added, "Reminds me of a certain merchant's daughter."

Artemis whirled around, with a small, frown on her lips, looking into the deep grey eyes of Linden as he chuckled. She could definitely feel herself flush as she turned around and began wading through the people. She reminded herself that Linden was the type of person to get someone's goat, no matter the cost. The way he got hers was through flattery.

People were scared of her, however, in the recent weeks it seemed she was drawing in more friends than she ever had. It was thanks to Gale, his charm rubbed off on her after being with him for so long. But the friend's she made were also Gale's friends. Linden, if course, and Dakota, who was the total opposite of the brooding Gale and flirtatious Linden. He was actually nice and sweet. She wondered if he'd be at the station as well, and she also felt a little guilty for not tagging him along. Although it was never her plan to have Linden by her side when she saw Peeta.

After they surged their way through the crowd, Artemis took lead and made her way towards Davet's Butchery. It only took one wrap at the door for Beau to fling it open with a concerned, frantic look on his face that intrigued her. "Took you long enough," He remarked as he shut the door behind him, jingling his keys in his pocket. "Your family went with mine like ten minutes ago. It's so crowded. We should've been at the station ages ago." He scolded, locking the door behind him.

Artemis rolled her eyes as Linden laughed under his breath. He could watch Artemis get annoyed all day long. "You seem like a worry wart, my friend." Linden spoke up, startling Beau. Beau narrowed his eyes at the stranger, eyeing him up and down as if he were a threat.

"Who's this?" Beau questioned, his voice sounded upset but he held his composure while Linden puffed up his chest to look bigger. "This is Linden. A new friend of mine," Artemis introduced him. Beau was wary as he plucked the chicken breast from it's cloth wrap. He offered it to Linden first, who in turn took a massive chunk of the flesh and plopped it in his mouth.

Beau looked to Artemis for a moment, judging Linden by how greedily he consumed the chicken. Artemis narrowed her eyes and shook her head once, it was so slight that Linden didn't notice but Beau did. He huffed out a sigh and handed the chicken breast over to Linden, who looked confused at this gesture.

"It's fine. There's plenty where that came from." Beau smiled, his hazel eyes sparkling with a fake sincerity. Linden then looked to Artemis confused but she simply nodded her head towards the chicken breast, affirming he can take it. After that he wasted no time in grabbing it and taking another chunk off and devouring it. "Thank you," He muttered out with a mouthful of chicken. Beau smiled lightly. "You're welcome," He replied clapping his hands together. "Can you walk and eat?" Linden absentmindedly nodded his head and began following the two friends towards the train station.

* * *

"Did they say what time it will arrive?" Artemis questioned Beau as she peered over the mass of people. The station was already hot during the summer time but the added body heat made standing their almost unbearable. Beau shook his head in response, waving his hand in front of his face.

She began to worry that she was going to regret standing in a large crowd of people waiting for Peeta to disembark the train. Would he even see them? She was small enough, she thought she could possibly squeeze her way towards the front of the crowd.

They hadn't seen one single person they knew. Not her family, not Beau's, not even Gale. Just a sea of new faces, fake faces waiting to catch a glimpse of their friend. No one cared about them when they were living their normal life, why was this so different? Artemis couldn't help but feel jealous. She wasted the last couple of weeks worrying for her best friends life and he wasn't going to see her.

She looked towards her right to see Linden sitting on the ground, waving his hand in front of his face like Beau, fanning himself. She gave him a concerned look. "You better not die on my watch," She teased down at him, only to receive an exasperated laugh in return. "You're so funny." He slurred, squinting up at her. She crouched down beside him, a smirk playing at her lips. "No seriously if you die I don't think Gale would ever forgive me."

"He probably wouldn't," He agreed. "He'd probably seek revenge." He wiggled his fingers towards her in a teasing manner. She rolled her eyes. "Why don't you stand up?" She suggested, standing up beside him and sticking her hand out towards him. Instead of taking it, he smacked it gently.

"There's a better view down here." The heat must've been getting to him if he thinks he can see the station better from down there. This started to worry her. "Better view of what? It's just legs." Artemis pressed, sticking her hand out towards him again. He gave her a sly smirk and winked at her. "Yeah, I know."

Her skin crawled as she watched him eye up her exposed legs like a dog looking at a bone. She quickly pressed the edges of her dress closer to her legs, she didn't want him getting cheeky. She cursed herself for actually wearing a dress to this but she'd be roasting otherwise. She uneasily traded spots with Beau who gave her a confused look which she brushed off.

The there was a whistle that came from a mile away. People started chattering excitedly. She desperately wanted to get closer to the platform to see her friend. She tried standing on her tiptoes, jumping, trying to squeeze through, all with no luck.

Coming to the station seemed pointless at the rate. She could hear the train pull into station but she couldn't see it stop. She could hear people cheering and shouting as the victor's stepped out of the cabin but she couldn't see the one person she's been trying to see for weeks.

She was fed up with the crowd of people. It angered her to the point she where she exploded. She grabbed tightly onto Beau's forearm, only giving him a moment to respond with a nod. He clutched onto Linden's shirt and drug him towards her. Angry and frustrated, she pushed her way through the crowd of people, carrying the other two behind her with an iron grip. She didn't care if people stared rudely at her, she thought it was rude of them to suddenly care about Peeta.

Artemis didn't stop until she came face to face with the ivory chest of a peacekeeper as he blocked the crowd from groin any further. She noticed that they were in a straight line on both sides, blocking the crowd, creating a large path for the victor's to cross to their car. Something that Artemis had only seen a handful of times.

Her heart seemed to stop when her eyes finally rested on the stocky stature of her best friend. The smile he wore was not genuine. The gleam in his eyes did not express the happiness that most of the District felt, they displayed pain.

The cluster of nerves that writhed in the pit of her stomach, that she once thought were butterflies of excitement, turned into an anxious feeling as she watched Peeta and Katniss pass by without looking at a single person in the crowd. Haymitch and the ever preppy Effie trailing behind and waving into the crowd, making up for their absent cheerfulness.

The whole scenario only lasted mere seconds but it felt like ages to her. She wanted to reach out to him, grab onto him and never let go. She wanted to tell him soothing things about how he was going to be safe now and how much she missed him. But every time she thought about it, her eyes would drift towards the peacekeepers in front of her with a gun on their hip. It wasn't worth the trouble of getting shot, or worse.

She didn't know when or why she did it, but she grabbed tightly onto Beau's hand as they watched the maroon car drive off with their best friend. All around them, people began to disperse, heading towards the merchant's square or The Seam to catch a glimpse of the new victors. Her heart clenched in her chest. "What was that?" Beau spoke up, the same confused yet concerned look on his face as Artemis. Linden was even looking at the car driving off in the distance with a frown, as he brushed the backside of his pants free of dirt She shook her head, her eyes never leaving the car that grew further and further away from them. "That wasn't our Peeta."


End file.
